TWO motorcyclists have died in separate crashes near to the North Yorkshire coast today.

A 47-year-old man died after he was involved in a crash on the A171 between Whitby and Scarborough. A 51-year-old man seriously injured in a crash on the A169 from Pickering to Whitby was later pronounced dead in hospital, police said.

The first collision happened on the A171 near the Falcon Pub at around 10.20am and involved a white Yamaha motorcycle travelling towards Scarborough with another bike. It collided with a silver Nissan X-trail.

The motorcyclist, from Stockton, was pronounced dead at the scene, a North Yorkshire Police spokesman said.

The second crash happened on the A169 Pickering to Whitby Road, at the junction with Lockton Lane, in Lockton, at around 1.10pm.

At the time of the collision, the motorcycle was travelling from Pickering in the direction of Whitby.

The accident involved a silver Vauxhall Astra and a red Honda motorbike.

The motorcyclist, a 51-year-old man from Redcar, was seriously injured in the collision and was taken to Scarborough District Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Nobody else was injured.

Anyone who witnessed either collision or saw the vehicles beforehand is asked to phone police on 101.

Witnesses to the A171 crash should ask for Traffic Constable Paul Moon or Scarborough Roads Policing Group, quoting reference 12130076094.

Witnesses to the A169 crash should call 101 and ask for Traffic Constable Neil Cholmondeley quoting reference number  12130076154. Alternatively, information can be emailed to neil.cholmondeley@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk