Updated: A MOTORCYCLIST has been killed in a road accident near Towton.

The 42-year-old man, who has been named locally as Trevor Peacock, was riding a red Honda motorcycle on the A162 between Towton and Scarthingwell Golf Club on Wednesday evening, heading in the direction of Sherburn-in- Elmet.

He was involved in a head-on collision with a silver Saab 95 travelling in the opposite direction.

Mr Peacock, of Kirk Hammerton Lane, Green Hammerton, near York, was pronounced dead at the scene.

He is the first motorcyclist to be killed on the county’s roads this year. The driver of the Saab, a 38-year-old woman from Leeds, was arrested in connection with the incident and was released on police bail as inquiries continued.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on Mr Peacock yesterday morning to establish the cause of death. North Yorkshire coroner Rob Turnbull has been informed and an inquest was expected to open today.

Police would now like to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash itself or saw either vehicle before the accident.

Anyone with information should phobe PC David Hunter on 0845 6060247.

Mr Peacock’s death comes just over a week after police officers, firefighters and others from the emergency services launched their latest campaign to reduce motorcycle fatalities on North Yorkshire’s roads.

The widow of a dead biker also helped launch the North Yorkshire 95 Alive road safety campaign for 2010. Last year 15 motorcyclists were killed in the county.

Road-safety campaigners will be out at motorcycle meeting places throughout the region over the coming months and at the weekend were at the Sun Inn at Norwood, near Harrogate, and Squires Café in Sherburn in Elmet.