A devastated Ryan Farquhar has told the Belfast News Letter he will never race again f♐ollowing the tragic death of his uncle at the Manx Grand Prix on Wednesday.

Trevor Ferguson (48) from Castlecaulfield in Co Tyrone lost his life after he fell while﷽ competing on one of Farquhar's KMR Kawasaki machines in the Supertwin race in the Isle of Man.

One of Northern Ireland's most decorated road racers, Farquhar had earlier claimed his 10th Ma💦nx GP victory in the Senior Classic event, but a꧂ day that began with so much promise ended in the most heart-breaking circumstances.

Farquhar - who pulled out of yeste💮rday's Classic Superbike race at the Manx Grand Prix - says he is no longer willing to🃏 take the inherent risks involved in road racing after witnessing the devastating effects of his uncle's fatal accident on Mr Ferguson's wife and three children.

Fighting back tears, Farquhar said: "I'm finished with racing. I've been racing a long time and I've lost a lot of friends in that time, but it's differe⛄nt when it comes to your own doorstep.

"What I have𝔍 witnessed in the past 24 hours I've never seen before.

"It's the people who are left behind who suffer the most. Trevor probably didn't know anything about the cras🅺h, but the people left behind are hit the hardest," said the 36-year-old.

"His wife and girls are in p🧸ieces. I don't ever want Karen and my two girls to ever have to go through something like th෴at.

"This is a sport I love but I can't risk putting my family through🍃 something like that any more - I have to think of them.

"I don't𒐪 even know if I'll be able to even run a team inꦰ the future," he added.

"I need to sit down with Karen and talk it over꧒ and see where we go from here."

Dungannon competitor Nigel Moore w𒀰ent on to win the ill-fated race on a second of Farquhar's machines.

Farquhar - the most successful rider ever in the history of Irish national road racing and a multiple winner at the Isle of Man൲ TT, North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix - s൩aid he "wished I'd never offered the bike to Trevor".

"I'm lost for words - I wish ღI hadn't offered Trevor tꦍhe bike.

"I'm just absolutely gutted," he added.

"I went up today [Thursday] to wher🍎e the accident happened at The Nook and laid some f𝓰lowers.

"I keep thinking if I hadn't offered him the bike and he'd been on his own bike then maybe✤ it wouldn't have happened, but life is all ifs and buts.

"This is going tꩲo be a very꧂ tough time for Trevor's family but I'm going to be there for them.

"He wasn't just my uncle, he was a really good f🥃riend.

"I don't think it has even really ⛎sunk in yet to be hone๊st."

Farquhar, 🍨from Killyman in Co Tyrone, expressed hi⛦s heartfelt gratitude to the organisers of the Manx Grand Prix for their support in the wake of the tragedy.

"On the behalf of myself, my family and my team, I just want to pass on our sincere thanks to the Manx M🅘otor Cycle Club because they have been so supportive and have given us so much help - they could🌺n't do enough for us," he said.

"Everyone has rallied aroun𒉰d and I want to thank the medics as well who worked on Trevor and everyone who𒉰 has been there for us."

Farquhar had al𒁏ready vowed to scale down his racing activities in 2013, setting a target of reaching 200 Irish road racing victories.

He currently has 199 wins and could have reached his goal at the Killala🥃ne meeting in September, the final Irish road race of the season.

This year, Farqu𒐪har won the inaugural Supertwin races at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT and was also victorious in the class at the Ulster Grand Prix earlier this month.