POLICE have urged motorists to take responsibility for their actions after a Bank Holiday weekend in which two bikers died and four were seriously hurt.

Police are in the middle of an eight-week safety campaign to cut the death toll on North Yorkshire's 6,000 miles of roads.

Officers spent more than 300 hours on the roads on Saturday and Sunday and stopped more than 400 vehicles.

But despite their efforts, six serious accidents, all involving motorcyclists, took place in just over 24 hours.

Alan Wilkinson, 62, died shortly before noon on Sunday when his Honda CBR was involved in an accident with a Mitsubishi Carisma on a minor road just off the A19 at Shipton-by-Beningbrough, north of York. An inquest is due to be opened and adjourned today.

On Monday, the 43-year-old rider of a black Harley-Davidson died in an accident involving a red tractor and trailer on the old A1 near Selby Fork at 12.40pm.

A 35-year-old man from Padiham, Lancashire, was yesterday critical but stable in Leeds General Infirmary after his 850cc Yamaha bike left the A661 at Spofforth and hit a road sign at 10.15am on Sunday.

A female pillion rider suffered serious leg injuries in a crash at 4pm on Sunday near Beckwithshaw.

On the same day, two bikers were seriously hurt in accidents involving cars on the B1257 Bilsdale Road, Easterside, Helmsley, at 11.24am and on the A65 at Hellifield, west of Skipton, at 11.50am.

Deputy Chief Constable Adam Briggs said: "Two people have lost their lives and several others are seriously injured, bringing grief and tragedy to themselves and their loved ones. We will continue with our tough road safety enforcement campaign, but drivers and riders must take responsibility for their actions."

A man hurt in a three-vehicle accident on the A59 at Moor Monkton, near York, on August 4 has died.

John Sabey, 77, of Clifton, York, was driving a Mitsubishi Space Star, which was in an accident involving a Mercedes van and a Ford Ka