A MOTORBIKER has been badly injured in a crash in North Yorkshire.

The county's police force say a motorcyclist suffered serious injuries in a collision near Harrogate.

It happened at about 5.40pm on Friday, August 16 on the B6451 between Norwood and the A59, near the junction with Penny Pot Lane.

The rider of a black Harley Davidson FLS Softail motorbike, travelling in the direction of Farnley was in collision with a grey Renault Traffic van travelling in the opposite direction.

A force spokesman said: "The motorcyclist, a man in his 50s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries where he remains in a critical condition.

"The van driver, a man in his 20s was uninjured.

"We are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision or saw a Harley Davidson motorcyclist travelling from Ripley towards Penny Pot Lane or a grey Renault Traffic van travelling on the B6451 from Farnley Lane towards the A59 to get in touch if they have not already spoken to the police.

"Anyone with dashcam footage of either vehicle prior to the collision, or of the collision, is also asked to contact the police.

"Please email MCIT@northyorkshire.police.uk or Amy.Herrick@northyorkshire.police.uk with information.

"Or call 101 and pass information for incident number 12240148973.

"Our thanks go to members of the public who stopped at the scene to assist the injured man."

The road was closed to allow emergency services to treat the injured man, to allow officers to examine the scene and for the vehicles to be recovered. It reopened at half past midnight the following morning.