A STRING of motorcycle accidents on North Yorkshire's roads at the weekend left seven people injured - including one seriously.

In the worst incident, a rider was airlifted to St James's Hospital, in Leeds, with "life-threatening" chest injuries after a crash on the A59 at Fewston at about 8.20am.

Stanley Capstick, 61, of Lancaster, was injured when he lost control and fell from his Triumph machine, which slid in front of an oncoming Rover 25 car. He was stable today.

Three other incidents happened within minutes of each other on the A6108 Leyburn to Richmond road.

Andrew Thomas, 22, of Thorp Arch, crashed into a wall near Bellerby at about 11.10am. He was taken to the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, with suspected back, pelvis and leg injuries but released.

A rider was taken to the same hospital with a broken leg after a crash on the same road at about 11.30am. Another rider was injured in a collision with a car.

A 30-year-old ride was taken to Harrogate District Hospital with a fractured collar bone after he was involved in a collision with a red Vauxhall Corsa on the A61 flyover with the A1, near Baldersby.

At about 3.20pm, Mark Henry, of Harrogate, suffered a bruised knee when his Aprillia machine was in collision with a Renault Clio at the junction of A59 and B6451 near Menwith Hill. Pillion passenger Amy-May Baron, also of Harrogate, suffered a sprained wrist.

Updated: 10:51 Monday, September 30, 2002