Police are investigating following a crash this morning between Welwyn Hatfield and Wheathampstead which has put a motorcyclist in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The collision occurred on the B653 Marford Road between Wheathampstead and Welwyn Garden City/Hatfield, 250 metres east of the junction with Cory Wright Lane.

A police spokesman said: “A white Yamaha motorcycle was travelling westbound at around 2.10am when it collided with a blue Toyota Prius travelling in the opposite direction.”

A man in his 50s who was driving the Prius and a female passenger in the car suffered minor injuries.

But the rider of the motorbike – a man in his 20s – suffered life-threatening injuries.

He was taken to the Lister Hospital in Stevenage and remains in a critical condition.

The road was closed for a number of hours while an investigation into the collision commenced.

Sergeant William Hood, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit, said: “We are working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding this collision.

“As part of this I’m appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or saw either vehicle shortly before the time of the incident to get in touch.

“If anyone has any dash cam footage of the incident or surrounding circumstances this would greatly assist the investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting incident reference 83 of September 22, or report information online at www.herts.police.uk/report.