Last updated at 10:57, Thursday, 09 August 2012

Emergency crews were called to an accident that left a motorcyclist in a critical condition.

Police closed off the road

The 56-year-old man suffered serious head injuries in a smash that led police to seal off a route linking the M6 in north Cumbria with one of the main roads to Wigton and the west of the county.

He was injured at Hutton-in-the Forest, near Penrith.

It happened at 4.05pm yesterday on the B5305, the road linking the M6 to the A595 and Wigton.

The injured man was riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle which was in collision with a Honda CR-V 4X4.

Police said the biker was from the Penrith area. He was taken to Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary.

A condition check today described him as being in a critical condition.

The Honda was driven by a man, 57, also from the Penrith area. He was uninjured, said officers.

A police spokesman said they believed the Honda was travelling east towards the M6 and the motorcycle was heading west when the smash happened.

Road blocks and diversions were put in place, including at the junction with the road leading from Durdar on the outskirts of Carlisle.

Police vehicles with flashing lights stood in the middle of the road to warn approaching motorists and uniformed officers at the scene advised motorists what other routes they could take.

The motorcycle could later be seen lying on its side in the verge. A helmet and motorcycle jacket lay in a field.

Damage could be seen on the front passenger side of the Honda. A front light was broken and its windscreen was smashed.

Following initial investigations the vehicles were cleared at about 7.30pm.

A force spokesman said: “Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision or to the movements of the vehicles before the collision to contact Carlisle’s roads policing unit on 101.”

First published at 16:48, Wednesday, 08 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk