A MOTORCYCLIST died after his machine ploughed into a shop window in the centre of a North Yorkshire town.

The incident, which happened in Norton on Saturday afternoon, pushed the number of bikers killed on the county's roads this year to 21.

An hour earlier a woman suffered serious leg injuries after the bike she was on left the road and went into a field at Sherburn-in-Elmet.

The latest fatal crash comes only a week after two people were killed in separate accidents on North Yorkshire's roads.

The rider killed on Saturday, a local man in his 20s, was riding a red and white Suzuki 750cc motorcycle along the B1248 when the accident occurred at the junction with Scarborough Road, South Parade and Parliament Street at about 4.45pm.

Police believe he lost control while going along the right hand bend next to Pocklington Carpets.

He was thrown from the machine and went through the shop window.

He suffered serious leg injuries and was treated at the scene before being taken to York Hospital, where he later died.

The road was closed for four hours to allow police to investigate the cause.

The other incident happened on the B1222 near the Half Moon pub at Sherburn-in-Elmet on Saturday at 3.30pm.

The woman was riiiding pillion on a motorbike which left the road and went into a field. She suffered serious leg injuries.

Police are also appealing for witnesses to a four-vehicle accident on the B1257 Malton to Helmsley Road on Saturday at 9.30am.

A red Ford Focus was shunted off the road and through a hedge after being hit by a Mitsubishi pick-up travelling in the same direction.

The Focus had stopped when a vehicle, travelling in the opposite direction, overtook another vehicle, which had stopped so the driver could remove an obstruction from the road.

The passenger and driver in the Focus were injured and taken to York Hospital.

Anyone who saw the incident should contact North Yorkshire Police on 01609 789123.

Updated: 11:27 Monday, August 11, 2003