A MAN died after a Ministry of Defence car struck him as he lay in a North Yorkshire road early today.

Police say the man, who has not yet been identified, was on the B6541, which runs alongside the Menwith Hill spy base, Harrogate.

The Ministry of Defence said today an officer on routine patrol had come across the man on the perimeter road. It is not yet known how he came to be lying in the road.

Anni Rainbow, who has participated in demonstrations outside Menwith Hill, said she did not think the dead man was a fellow protester.

The incident happened just after 2am today.

The man was taken by ambulance to Harrogate District Hospital with what Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman described as "crushing injuries". He was later pronounced dead.

The man was described as being in his 20s. He was wearing a T-shirt, a blue denim jacket and jeans and new tan Timberland boots. He had a pierced belly-button and a Batman tattoo on his torso.

The driver of the MoD car was "shocked but unhurt".

ends

Updated: 13:15 Monday, August 13, 2001