A MOTORCYCLIST is in a critical condition in hospital after being involved in a road accident.

The 27-year-old from Grays received multiple serious injuries in the accident at the junction of New Road and Bridge Road B189 shortly before 7pm yesterday when his black motorcycle and a red Mercedes collided.

After about an hour of being treated by paramedics, the man was taken to the Royal London Hospital by the Essex Air Ambulance, where he remains in a critical condition.

Police officers arrested the driver of the Mercedes, a woman in her sixties from the Grays area, on suspicion of careless driving – she was bailed until October 10 pending further enquiries.

The road was closed for nearly five hours to enable forensic collision investigation work to be carried out and for recovery of the vehicles.

Firefighters from Grays were also called and were first on the scene.

Station office Doug Hogan said: “He was thrown off his bike quite a way and received quite serious injuries before being taken off in the air ambulance at about 8pm.

“We were the first there, being called to a road traffic accident, and he was just lying there – he was breathing but was unresponsive.”

Any witnesses who have not yet contacted police, or anyone who was in the area and has information about events leading to the collision, should contact officers at Chigwell Road policing unit on 101.