road closed

Village gridlocked as main road is expected to remain closed all morning.

A MOTORCYCLIST has been killed in a collision in Braunton in the early hours of this morning (Tues).

Police were called to the scene at the Tesco Roundabout on Exeter Road at 2.20am.

A man riding a BMW motorcycle was found at the scene and was taken to North Devon District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8.30am.

The man is believed to be in his early thirties from the Plymouth area but has not yet been formally identified by police.

A police spokesman said: “We’d like to hear from any witnesses who were in the vicinity of the collision and saw anything that may help police with their investigation.

“In particular we’d like to hear from or identify the driver of a light blue VW transporter type van, with side windows, that we understand was in the vicinity at around the time of the incident.”

A driver of a Volkswagon Bora was arrested near the incident after providing a positive breath test, but it is not known if the two incidents are connected.

The man is currently in police custody assisting officers with their enquiries.

The road is expected to be closed for several hours while collision investigations carry out their work.

Drivers are advised to follow local diversions and HGVs are being advised to go via Barnstaple or South Molton if heading towards the Ilfracombe or Woolacombe area.

Anyone with any information is asked to call 101 and quote log number DCP-20120626-0057.

Update: The man arrested near the incident has been released on police bail until July 31.