THREE people died following separate crashes on North Yorkshire’s roads.

An elderly man died when his grey Vauxhall Corsa collided with a red Rover 400 at Bagby Junction, near Thirsk, a woman died when her blue Fiat Punto and a white Ford Transit van collided at Skelder Bank, near Whitby, and a motorcyclist died north of Helmsley. The first crash, at Bagby Junction, happened at 3.45pm on Saturday.

The Corsa was coming from Sowerby Road when it collided with the Rover, travelling on the A19 towards Thirsk.

Two men in the Rover were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Police have asked any witnesses to phone PC Paul Tempest on 0845 6060247.

The second accident was at 6.50pm on Saturday, on the A171 between Whitby and Guisborough. The van driver had to be cut free by firefighters.

The woman driver of the Punto was taken to Scarborough District Hospital, where she died. The road was closed for six hours. Witnesses to the second crash should phone PC Neale Rees or Sergeant Pete Wood at Scarborough Road Police Group.

The third crash was on the B1257 and involved a Honda motorbike and a Honda 4x4. The rider died at the scene and was named by police as Graham Allison, 48, from the Guisborough area.