AN INJURED biker was airlifted to hospital following a crash last night.

The single vehicle accident happened at 7.30pm on the B1257 near Chop Gate, north of Helmsley.

North Yorkshire Police said today the injured motorcyclist was taken to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough by air ambulance helicopter.

"Initial reports were of serious/potentially life threatening injuries," said a spokeswoman.

"However, once at hospital he was found to have a number of broken bones."

She added that the road was reopened at 2.15am TC Mark Patterson tweeted that the road was shut for several hours in the early hours of today while the force's forensic collision investigation unit and roads policing group investigated the crash.