A MOTORCYCLIST has died after crashing into a hedge in Southminster.

A fire crew came across the incident shortly before 1.30pm on the B1021 Cripplegate on Sunday April 24.

The motorcyclist, a 36-year-old man from Benfleet, had crashed through a hedge and barbed wire fence, and was given oxygen therapy by the fire service until the ambulance arrived.

The man was treated for life threatening injuries at the scene and was then airlifted to the Royal London Hospital but later tragically died.

The police were called to the scene at 1.30pm by the ambulance service, where they closed off the road until 5.40pm to carry out investigations.

Several residents of Cripplegate were at home when the accident occurred, reporting loud motorbike noises racing past.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “I remember hearing lots of huge roars outside my house just before 1.30 in the afternoon, it sounded like they were going at ridiculous speeds.”

Peter Clayton, who has lived in Cripplegate for nearly 20 years, saw a group of bikers speed past his house as he was getting into his car.

Peter said: “I saw around about half a dozen motorbikes wiz by, I heard at least three gear changes as they went down our road.

“They must have been going in excess of 80 to 90 miles an hour.

“The rider who crashed wasn’t in front of the pack. As I pulled out and went down the road to where he had crashed, I saw his fellow bikers returning from around the corner and one calling an ambulance.”

Peter said this is the first incident of a loss of human life in the time that he has lived in Cripplegate.

He added: “We’ve had incidents of dogs being run over and a few speeding cars, but this is the first time I’ve seen something on this scale.”