Biker airlifted to hospital after crash
A MOTORCYCLIST had to be airlifted to hospital after suffering severe head injuries in a road crash.
The middle-aged biker is thought to have come off his bike and smashed into a road sign as he rode from the Tyne Tunnel onto the slip road heading towards Lindisfarne roundabout, Jarrow, yesterday.
The alarm was raised at about 5.20pm by a passer-by who dialled 999.
When police and paramedics arrived, they found the biker, who was riding an orange KTM sportsbike, lying on the road with serious head injuries.
The road was closed for two hours to allow an air ambulance to land and fly the biker to Newcastle General Hospital.
Last night police said the condition of the biker, from Durham, was "critical but stable".
A police spokesman said: "At the moment we don't know how the accident has happened. The rider was in a serious condition, which is why the decision was taken to airlift him to hospital."
The accident caused chaos, with motorists facing massive tailbacks.
One driver from South Shields, who was caught up in the chaos, said: "Traffic was really heavy getting out of Shields and there was a tailback of about a mile and a half for drivers going into Shields.
"I saw police vans and the ambulance, but didn't see the air ambulance."
A spokeswoman for the North East Ambulance Service said: "We received a call at 5.23pm yesterday, about a male motorcyclist.
"The call came in from a passer-by. We were told he had come off his bike and crashed into a road sign.
"The rider sustained severe head injuries and was taken to Newcastle General Hospital."
Any witnesses to the accident are asked to ring police on 03456 043 043.
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Weather for Jarrow
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South
