Motorcyclist dies in accident at police road block

The tragedy happened during police vehicle checks on one of the main tourist routes between Welshpool and the coast yesterday and came after two other motorcyclists were killed in an accident near Shropshire.

The incident has been referred to the Police Complaints Commission.

Dyfed Powys Police say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene after the accident on the A458 near Cyfronydd, between Welshpool and Llanfair Caereionion at about 4.30pm.

Officers have not yet named the woman, who is not believed to be local.

The crash happened after a marked police motorcyclist had stopped on the road and was carrying out checks on vehicles in the area.

Several cars had stopped behind the vehicles that were being examined.

A spokesman for the force said: "The family of the deceased have been informed and because a police vehicle was nearby at the time, Dyfed Powys Police have voluntarily referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission."

Following the crash the road was closed for several hours for investigations.

Meanwhile, two other riders died in a separate crash after a car was involved in a collision with six motorcycles.

The riders died at the scene on the A5104 at Pontblyddyn, around 10 miles north of Wrexham, just before 1pm yesterday.

Five other people were either airlifted to hospital or taken by ambulance.

Inspector Gareth Jones said: "At 12.53pm police, ambulance and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended a report of a collision that had occurred on the A5104 between Pontblyddyn and Penyffordd.

"The incident involved a car and six motorcycles – two riders of which passed away at the scene."