A 49-YEAR-OLD motorcyclist was killed in a crash with a car near Kingston Lacy on Sunday morning.

Police, ambulance and fire crews were all called to the collision which had taken place on the B3082 Blandford Road at Badbury Rings around 9.15am.

It involved a Honda motorcycle, being ridden by a 49-year-old man from Shaftesbury, and a Peugeot car, being driven by a 64-year-old woman from Gillingham.

Despite the best efforts of emergency services the rider of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokeswoman from South Western Ambulance Service said: "Two ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and an air ambulance were all sent to the scene.

"Extensive efforts were made, not just by paramedics but also the on-duty police medical officer, to treat the motorcyclist but sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The patient in the car was treated for minor injuries at the scene."

Next of kin have been informed and the coroner has been notified.

The road was closed for most of the day to allow a collision investigation to take place which resulted in major traffic delays on surrounding narrow country lanes.

This saw vehicles mounting grass verges in order to allow traffic to pass both ways to try and ease some of the congestion.

The road was reopened around 4pm.

Kingston Lacy country mansion is located on the B3082 near to where the crash took place.

A house steward said: "I know motorists had a lot of difficulty trying to get around on the back roads and there were some very long delays.

"We decided to open one of the rear entrances to the house so that visitors could get in and to try and ease some of the congestion."

Police Constable Dave Cotterill, of the Dorset Police Traffic Unit, said: “The Honda motorcyclist was in the company of two other motorcyclists prior to the collision.

“I would like to appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident or may have seen the manner of riding of the motorcycles or the driving of the Peugeot prior to the collision taking place to contact police.”

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident number 29:127.