A BIKER was killed in Poole on Tuesday morning following a rush hour collision involving a lorry.

The motorcyclist, a 41-year-old Poole man, was taken by ambulance to Poole Hospital but later pronounced dead.

No-one else was injured in the accident.

Three vehicles – a white Vauxhall Vivaro van, a heavily laden green MAN lorry and a black Yamaha motorbike – were involved in the crash. It happened yards from the junction of Gravel Hall and Queen Anne Drive, where two lanes merge after the traffic lights.

Paramedics, police and firefighters attended the scene shortly after 7.50am.

Thousands of motorists were caught up in traffic chaos following the accident, as Gravel Hill remained closed to traffic for several hours.

Speaking to the Daily Echo at the scene, Dorset Police Inspector Matt Butler said: “The road had to be closed for an extended period because the vehicle involved was a laden heavy goods vehicle that requires a specialist kind of recovery to remove it.

“The nature of the accident means there will be a full investigation.”

Specially-trained police collision investigators and crime scene investigators remained at the crash site all morning.

Inspector Butler said: “We will work out exactly what happened and why it happened.”

Neighbours spoke of their shock at events. Kane Heath, 19, who lives a short distance from the crash site, said: “This is a dangerous junction.”

Mr Heath, who has been riding a motorcycle for only a few months, added: “I actually go in the opposite direction of those lights to deliberately avoid them.

“They’re not safe. When they’re changing cars accelerate to try and make it across.”

Another neighbour – who asked not to be named – said: “This road is busy, but I haven’t heard of a fatal accident along here before. I cannot help just thinking about the family of this poor man.”

The lorry involved in the incident was driven by a 44-year-old Southampton man, while the van was driven by a Poole man, aged 41.

Inspector Butler said: “We do recognise and apologise for the congestion caused by the road closure but we only had one opportunity to collect the scene evidence that will tell us why a person has lost his life and it is essential we do so.

“Any witnesses to the collision or who may have seen the vehicles involved immediately before the collision are asked to contact PC 2005 Jay Griffin of the Poole Traffic Unit.”

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police in confidence on 101 quoting incident number 22:61