A campaign to cut the number of motorcycle deaths in North Yorkshire is paying off, with the toll of fatalities dropping rapidly.

The county's roads act as honeypot for bikers and in the past many have paid their lives.

But, following a joint campaign by police and the county's road safety team, figures have improved significantly.

Last year, 28 motorcyclists were killed in the county - but this year, to date, the figure stands at 17.

The number of crashes in which someone was killed or seriously injured fell by 40 per cent, from 195 to 126.

High-profile patrols and enforcement, as well as the fast- tracking of serious speed offenders to court and sentence, have been used to reduce the tragedies.

However, both police and the council said there was still work to be done to ensure the downward trend continues next year.

Road safety team officer David Lindsay said: "We are pleased with the results and believe the work undertaken by police and ourselves has gone a long way to bring this about.

"Although the weather this year has restricted opportunities for riders to take to the roads, riders have also been made very aware of the consequences they face if they drive irresponsibly in the county and have taken notice of it."

Assistant Chief Constable David Collins said: "These figures are very encouraging, but we will not become complacent. We will be reviewing all aspects of this year's campaign to establish what lessons can be learned from it, and how we will conduct next year's campaign."