A MOTORCYCLIST suffered serious injuries following a crash which saw him thrown 20 metres from his bike.

A man in his 30s was airlifted to hospital with suspected broken bones and possible spinal injuries after a crash on the C5009 road between Wreaks Causeway (A595) and Broughton at around 7am yesterday morning.

Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and an air ambulance attended the crash that forced the road to be closed in both directions.

Police said that the "motorbike was on fire at one point" and the driver, who has been identified as a man in his 30s from the Millom area, was airlifted to Preston Hospital.

The collision involved a motorbike and a Jaguar.

The Westmorland Gazette:

Jon Griffiths, assistant fire service manager at the scene, said the collision happened at the crest of a hill.

“The motorcyclist was then thrown 20 metres down the road and the motorbike fell to the side catching light almost instantly," he said.

“A member of the public extinguished the fire.

“Paramedics at the scene suspected that the motorcyclist had broken two legs, a broken pelvis and potentially further spinal injuries.”

Firefighters administered oxygen to the motorcyclist before the ambulance arrived.

Crews were at the scene for around one hour and five minutes.