A Cheltenham Festival race has been abandoned and trains to the event were delayed earlier today due to an incident.

The Cross Country Chase scheduled at today's meeting has been cancelled and will not be run at this year's meeting.

The Jockey Club had looked at moving the race to Friday if cancelled today, but with further rainfall forecast over the coming days, they have decided to abandon the race completely.

They said in a statement on Wednesday morning: "Following 11mm of rainfall throughout yesterday, there has been no improvement in the conditions on the Cross-Country course and with areas of the track unraceable, the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase has sadly been abandoned.

"The forecast for the remainder of the week continues to look unsettled, with further showers likely on both Thursday and Friday. There will therefore be insufficient improvement to the Cross-Country course by Friday 15th March, and the decision has been taken not to reschedule the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at The Festival."

The Going on the Old & New course is Soft, Heavy in Places.

As a result of the abandonment of the Cross Country Chase, there are revised race times for Wednesday. They are as follows:

• Race 1: 1345

• Race 2: 1430

• Race 3: 1515

• Race 4: 1600

• Race 5: NA

• Race 6: 1650

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Cheltenham festival trains cancelled after person struck by train

Trains headed for Cheltenham Festival were cancelled earlier today after a body was found on the railway line.

Emergency services were called to the scene near Tuffley at around 7.30am this morning (Wednesday).

It’s believed a person was struck by a train, with the British Transport Police leading the probe. Forensics also attended.

It’s understood a significant number of coaches have been arranged for Swindon and Bristol Parkway stations.

A GWR spokesperson said: “The emergency services were dealing with an incident which meant the line south of Gloucester was closed. This is the line used by trains that run between Gloucester and Bristol.

”Trains are now able to run but as some of our trains and crew are in the wrong place there may be further service alterations while the service is recovered.”