FOUR serious motorbike accidents in the Littleport area within the last few days have led Cambridgeshire police to issue safety warnings. Two of the accidents took place on the A1101 - one male motorcyclist was killed at Welney on July 21, and another wa

FOUR serious motorbike accidents in the Littleport area within the last few days have led Cambridgeshire police to issue safety warnings.

Two of the accidents took place on the A1101 - one male motorcyclist was killed at Welney on July 21, and another was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital with serious chest and internal injuries after a collision on Sunday morning on the stretch of road leading towards Mildenhall.

On Monday afternoon part of the A10 was closed, causing long tailbacks, after a four-vehicle collision which left a 69-year old Norfolk man in hospital with multiple bone fractures; another man was treated by a MAGPAS air ambulance team after coming off his bike at the Witcham Toll on July 23 (Wednesday). An eyewitness said he was not wearing leathers and was involved in a collision with a blue Ford Transit.

In all the incidents, motorists came away either unscathed or suffering from minor injuries but the two men who were injured on the A10 were flung onto the grass verge by the collision, where dykes which are frequently full of water pose an extra hazard.

PC Tony Barrios, Cambridgeshire police's casualty reduction officer warned: "Motorcyclists are more vulnerable than other motorists which is why it is so important they stay alert and aware at all times. The majority of riders are riding safely, however one small mistake could prove fatal."

However, he stopped short of blaming motorcyclists for the accidents and urged motorists to be aware of bikes coming up behind them by checking mirrors regularly.

Last year 17 motorcyclists were killed and 99 seriously injured on Cambridgeshire's roads - although they make up just one per cent of road users in the area, they account for nearly a quarter of all casualties.

nDID you see the incident at Welney? PC Donald Walker, Swaffham Road Policing, would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident. He can be contacted on 0845 456 4567. If you witnessed the incident on the A10 on Monday at around 2pm and saw either a white Scania lorry, a silver Renault Megane or a Yamaha motorbike around that time, contact Tim Elliot in the Roads Policing Unit on 0845456 456 4.

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