A MOTORCYCLING tragedy has prompted police to reinforce a warning to bikers: "Come to our roads only if you're going to be careful."

Traffic cops in North Yorkshire spoke out after Darlington biker Carl Buckingham was sentenced for causing the death of a friend in a crash.

Mark Chadfield, 34, also from Darlington, was killed in an accident Buckingham admitted being responsible for on the A684 last September.

The men were among four motorcyclists riding between Swinithwaite and Aysgarth when tragedy struck, Teesside Crown Court heard last week.

Buckingham, 35, said he was distracted before he failed to safely negotiate a left-hand bend and crossed into the path of oncoming traffic.

His manoeuvre forced the driver of an Isuzu Rodeo 4x4 to swerve towards the centre of the road, colliding head-on with Mr Chadfield's bike.

Judge Tony Briggs reassured the driver of the Isuzu that he had done nothing wrong and was confronted with an "unavoidable" collision.

Buckingham admitted exceeding the speed limit slightly, but the court heard his riding before the accident could not be criticised.

He was banned from the roads for 18 months and was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with supervision.

The investigating officer, Traffic Constable Graham Waller, of Richmond Roads Policing Group, reacted after the conclusion of the case.

"North Yorkshire Police is committed to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county's roads," he said "In 2010, 20 motorcyclists lost their lives on the roads of York and North Yorkshire, which is higher than in recent years.

"Clearly, this is unacceptable and we will robustly deal with any riders or drivers who act irresponsibly, putting themselves or other road users at risk.

"Any fatal collision is not only horrific for the families involved but also for innocent people caught up in the incident and the emergency services who have to deal with the aftermath."

TC Waller stressed that responsible riders are always welcome to visit the county but the police are determined to stop those who are breaking the law.

He added: "Excess speed is often a factor in motorcycle collisions and the message from North Yorkshire Police is: We welcome motorcyclists to the county as long as you ride carefully and safely. If you don't, expect to be sent to court to face the consequences.

"In 2010, North Yorkshire Police dealt with several fatal collisions involving group riding and this is something we will be keeping a close eye on in the future."

Buckingham, a married glazier, of Thompson Street East, Darlington, admitted causing death by careless driving at an earlier court hearing.

His barrister, Dan Cordey, said he feels "real and genuine remorse for what happened" and will have to live with the heavy burden forever.