TWO pedestrians were killed as they crossed the A64 in North Yorkshire last night.

The collision was near the junction to Welburn, between York and Malton, at about 10.55pm.

North Yorkshire Police said a man and woman, aged in their 50s from the local area, were crossing the road from north to south at a bus stop when they were struck by a small white SUV that was travelling east towards Scarborough.

"They were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics," a spokesman for the force said.

The collision led to the closure of the A64 in both directions until 3.35am today to allow a full investigation of the scene. Local diversions were put in place by the Highways Agency.

The driver of the SUV, a man aged in his 50s from the Wakefield area of West Yorkshire, and his wife in the passenger seat, were uninjured, the spokesman said.

It comes just weeks after a couple from the Malton area - Dave Tinker, 50, and Julie Gough, 52 - were killed when they were hit by a minibus on the A64 at Crambeck, near Welburn.

On May 13, the couple had got off a Coastliner bus and were crossing the road when they were struck by a black Renault minibus.

Police inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding last night's collision.

Witnesses or anyone who recalls seeing the man and woman or the SUV prior to the crash, are urged to phone North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for the Major Collision Investigation Team or email MajorCollisionInvestigationTeam2@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk, quoting reference number 12170110217.