Colchester Rugby Club have been forced to pull out of this weekend's Suffolk Cup final against Bury St Edmunds on safety grounds.

The final had been due to be played at Mill Road on Saturday, but it has now been cancelled because inhuries have hit Colchester's ability to field a front row. 

The club has apologised to Bury and the Suffolk RFU, but said it had been left with no option.

A statement on their website said: "Unfortunately we have had to pull out of Saturday's Suffolk Cup Final against Bury as we are unable to field a front row.

"We obviously regret having to do this and apologise to Bury and the Suffolk Committee but it has to be safety first – and at the end of  a long hard season this was just one match too far."

Colchester ended the season sitting third in London League division one north, a division that Bury won by a comfortable margin.