Vital witnesses to motorbikecrash urged to come forward

POLICE investigating a double-fatal road collision renewed an appeal yesterday for vital witnesses to come forward more than a fortnight after the tragedy happened.

The crash which claimed the lives of Dean and Helen Louise Slater, who lived near Bradford, occurred when their motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car on Wednesday, August 25.

The accident happened on the slip road of the A64 eastbound from the A167 at Tadcaster at 7.30pm.

Officers revealed yesterday that they have already received information which has been important to their inquiries, although further potential witnesses have now been identified.

Traffic Sergeant Julian Pearson, who is leading the North Yorkshire Police investigation, said: “I would like to thank all the witnesses who have already come forward. However, we have identified more people who are potential witnesses and have not yet come forward.

“I am keen to trace two pedestrians who were walking on the A659 footpath from Boston Spa towards the A1 between 7pm and 7.25pm on the evening of the collision.

“They will have witnessed a group of motorcycles passing them, as will the drivers of a dark-coloured Land Rover Discovery and an Audi A4 estate, who had travelled from the A1 roundabout onto the A659.”

Mr Slater, 40, from Thornton near Bradford, was travelling with a group of five other motorcyclists when his grey Yamaha R1 motorcycle was involved in a head-on collision with a green Vauxhall Vectra. Both he and his partner, Helen Louise were thrown from the bike.

Anyone with information can contact 0845 6060247.