THE widow of a biker who died on North Yorkshire’s roads has led fresh calls for motorcyclists to kill their speed.

Sarah McCarthy’s husband, Stuart, was killed last July when his bike left the road on a corner.

Yesterday, at Squires Café, in Sherburn-in-Elmet, a famous meeting place for bikers, she appealed to other motorcycle enthusiasts to watch their speed, as the days get warmer and machines are brought out of garages for the first run out of the year.

Sarah said: “Stuart loved his motorbike, but he liked to ride his bike fast unfortunately. He came off his bike on a corner and was killed instantly.

“Having to tell your seven-year-old daughter that her father isn’t coming home is something I would not wish on anybody.”

Sarah’s comments came as the 95 Alive road safety campaign launched its latest offensive against speeding motorists, but especially reckless bikers.

Last year 15 motorcyclists were killed on North Yorkshire’s roads – a third of all fatalities, even though bikers account for less than a tenth of all traffic.

Sergeant Sean Grey, of Tadcaster Roads Policing Group, said the Easter weekend was traditionally the start of the motorbike season.

He said: “We want to welcome people into the county. We have lovely roads and scenery, but we want them to come in and be safe. We would like to ask all motorcyclists to take it easy and be aware of the roads and what’s around them.”

A motorcyclist himself, he said he had been to too many fatal accidents involving bikers and had walked down too many footpaths to tell loved ones of their husband, son or father’s death.

He said: “It’s heartwrenching. It’s something you never get used to doing. Unfortunately I’ve had too many to go to. It’s the worst thing my colleagues and I have to do.”

The 95 Alive Campaign, which involves all the emergency services as well as the county council and City of York Council, will now be taking the message to bikers.

On Saturday, they will be at the Sun Inn at Norwood, near Harrogate, and then on Sunday at Squires Cafe in Sherburn-in-Elmet. They will be attending other spots popular with bikers throughout the course of the year.

The campaign comes only weeks after two serious accidents involving motorcyclists in the Selby area – one near Kelfield and the other near Sherburn.