CYCLING campaigner Karl Briggs - who fought to save the lives of cyclists across North Yorkshire - has died in an accident with a lorry.

Mr Briggs, of Helmsley, suffered serious head injuries in a collision on the A168 at Asenby, near Thirsk, yesterday afternoon, and was later certified dead at Friarage Hospital, Northallertron.

Today his wife, Cecilia, told of her disbelief that her husband - a careful cyclist who was so aware of the dangers on the road - had himself been killed.

"He had been cycling since he was three and he was 65," she told the Evening Press.

"If someone had been killed on the road he would go and take measurements and see the police.

"He was always careful on the road. He was a careful driver as well. He would go at 60 mph with everybody passing.

"When he didn't come back yesterday I thought he had had a puncture or something. When I saw a big van and the police came out I couldn't believe it.

"We had been married for 27 years and celebrated our wedding anniversary last week."

She said Karl had been returning home from a day out cycling in the Harrogate or Ripon area with a group of other cyclists when the accident happened.

Anyone who witnessed the accident or saw the cyclist prior to the collision should contact TC David Shotton on 01748 823055 ext 4321.

Mr Briggs spent much of his time calling on the police and councillors for better safety for cyclists.

He was known as a local character and for his insistence on using his bicycle to travel - he regularly cycled all the way to York from his home - and his hatred of cars.

In 1997, he presented a study into the effects of transport on the world's energy supplies to Ryedale District Council.

He was also a keen campaigner on behalf of local rights of way for cyclists and was constantly challenging the authorities.

Earlier this year Mr Briggs launched a campaign for a right of way over the North York Moors.

A former chartered civil engineer, Mr Briggs wanted cyclists to have a formal right to ride along disused railway lines from Rosedale to Ingleby Greenhow.

He claimed cyclists had ridden along the tracks of the former Rosedale Railways line for more than 60 years, but in 1990 their way was obstructed.

Malton town councillor and keen cyclist Des Reed said Mr Briggs would be missed for his cycling campaigns. "He did a lot to promote safety for cyclists and also did a lot for rights of way," he said.

In another accident on the A658 at North Rigton, near Harrogate, a motorcyclist died after a collision with a Mercedes car.

Anyone with any information about the accident should contact Harrogate police on 01423 505541.

Meanwhile, a man suffered a head injury when two cars collided near the junction of Brockfield Park Drive and New Lane in Huntington, York, just after 2.30pm yesterday.

Fire crews cut a van driver from his vehicle after it collided with a lorry on the A61 near the A1 flyover, near Baldersby at 5.50pm. The man was trapped for about 40 minutes, suffering from chest injuries.

A car overturned on the B6265 near Aldborough as it travelled towards York at about 9pm last night. No one was seriously injured.

Three people killed in a car crash near Scarborough have been named by police.

A white BMW 318 and a silver Astra SXI collided on the A165, a mile south of Cayton Bay, at about 8.30pm on Tuesday.

Maureen Hope, 55, of Wharfdale, Filey, who was driving the BMW, and Edward Nicholson, 17, of Abbotsgate, Seamer, who was driving the Astra, both died in the collision. Christopher Jones, 17, of Harford Road, Cayton, a passenger in the Astra, died later in Scarborough Hospital.

Police are still investigating the collision and if anyone has any information they should contact Scarborough police on 01723 500300.

Updated: 10:51 Thursday, November 01, 2001