ONE man was killed and another is in hospital fighting for his life after two motorcycles crashed near Great Bardfield on Sunday. The accident happened at about 2.30pm on the road between Great Bardfield and Oxen End on a stretch or road known as the Bard

ONE man was killed and another is in hospital fighting for his life after two motorcycles crashed near Great Bardfield on Sunday.

The accident happened at about 2.30pm on the road between Great Bardfield and Oxen End on a stretch or road known as the Bardfield Bend.

The fatality brings the number of motorcyclists killed on Essex roads this year to seven. Last year a total of 16 motorcyclists lost their lives on roads in the county.

Mary Glover, of Great Bardfield, was in her garden when she heard sirens. "I was enjoying an afternoon in the garden when the police and ambulance came teeming past with their sirens blaring and the Essex air ambulance flew right overhead.

"I knew it must have been serious. I've never seen anything like it. The emergency vehicles were coming and going for more than an hour."

Another resident from the village who did not want to be named said: "It's a great shame but a lot of them seem to have accidents on the stretch of road from Finchingfield down past Dunmow. It's a popular route for bikers out for a ride."

Both men, reported to be from the London area, were riding at the rear of two separate groups travelling in opposite directions. One was on a silver-coloured Yamaha, the other on a green-coloured Kawasaki.

Police, ambulance crews and the air ambulance attended the scene.

An ambulance spokeswoman said: "One rider, a 28-year-old man suffered very serious injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene."

A police spokesman said: "We can confirm the man who died was a Brazilian man from East London. It is not thought that he has any relatives living in the UK."

The other rider was a man in his

20s who suffered serious head injuries, a fractured leg, a fractured right arm and a fractured left wrist. He was airlifted to Queens Hospital in Romford for treatment.

Police are asking for anyone with any information relating to this accident to contact them at the Bocking Road Policing Unit on 01376 330722.

- A POLICE spokesman said: "We strongly urge all bikers to sign up to the Essex Police's Bikesafe campaign of which full details are available on www.essex.police.uk/bikesafe

Sgt Mick Green, Bikesafe team leader, said: "It is getting an assessment of your riding after your bike has been laid up over the winter. The more people who we assess and can put on training; the few accidents there are involving riders."

More information is available by calling Sgt Green on 01245 240600.