A MAN has been airlifted to hospital with critical head injuries after crashing his motorcycle in to a stone wall.

The 44-year-old, who is from Colne, was riding his Suzuki motorcycle back from Kirkby Lonsdale along the A682, around a mile south of the Todber Caravan Park in Gisburn, in the direction of Barrowford when the crash happened around 6.20pm yesterday.

Police said he overtook a gold Volkswagen Passat just before a right hand bend but veered on to a soft verge and lost control of the motorcycle, before crashing in to a substantial dry stone wall.

He was then thrown from his motorcycle and received significant head injuries and numerous broken ribs.

He was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital where he remains in intensive care a critical condition.

Sergeant Rob Gomery said: “This is a tragic accident that has occurred on a rural road, with emergency services and the air ambulance attending.

"I am appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the collision, given assistance to the emergency services or may have seen the motorcycle prior to the collision which at the time was riding with two other friends.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting log LC-20160520-1230.