TWO pedestrians were taken to hospital after separate accidents in York city centre within an hour of each other.

The later incident, in which a pedestrian and motorbike collided in Gillygate shortly after 7pm, brought traffic to a standstill, leading to major tailbacks in surrounding roads including Bootham and St Leonard's Place.

A police officer at the scene said the pedestrian had stepped into the path of the motorcyclist, who was travelling east, towards Clarence Street. The biker injured his right arm and the pedestrian was taken to York Hospital with non-life-threatening head injuries.

At about 6.25pm, another pedestrian suffered minor injuries when he collided with a small Vauxhall van outside the Edinburgh Arms pub, in Fawcett Street, near the Barbican Centre.

A man in his late teens or early 20s was walking wounded, and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

The accident occurred during the evening rush-hour, but caused only brief delays to other motorists, as police and ambulance rushed to the scene.

One witness, who declined to be named, said the man had stepped out in front of the van but did not look badly injured. The van was left with a dented bonnet and smashed windscreen.

That accident happened less than 100 yards from the spot where 22-year-old Lucie Brabyn was killed two months ago.

She died from severe head injuries, following a collision with a taxi outside Toto's Italian restaurant in the early hours of August 5.

The former Millthorpe School pupil had recently moved to London after graduating from a stage management course at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. After her death, more than 150 heartbroken friends left messages of condolence on a special website set up in her memory.