A MOTORCYCLIST was injured in a crash which happened early today in the vicinity of a major police search operation in York.

Taxi driver Luis Sollitt said he and other drivers were watching a police helicopter searching in the Heworth Stray area when they heard a crunch and saw a motorcyclist had come off his machine in Malton Road.

He said the man, who might have skidded on decayed leaves on the road, was left lying in the road and appeared to have suffered leg and hip injuries.

He said the drivers temporarily blocked the road until paramedics arrived to treat the motorcyclist and take him to hospital.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service confirmed that it attended a motorcycle accident at the junction of Malton Road at 1.34am today and took a male patient to Leeds General Infirmary, but could not comment on the nature of extent of his injuries.