A PILLION passenger was killed and her husband injured when they were thrown from their motorbike in an horrific road crash.

Tracey Autton, 29, died instantly when she was tossed from the bike into a post.

The accident, early this morning, involved a cement wagon driven by a Waddington man.

The dead woman's husband, motorbike driver Mark Autton, 32, is in Airedale Hospital, near Keighley, where his condition is not thought to be life threatening.

He was thrown into a ditch and suffered injuries including a broken arm and leg.

The couple are both from Dairy Lane, Dacre Top, Harrogate, and are said to have two young children.

The accident happened on the A59 near Gisburn Police Station at about 1.43am today.

Police are still investigating, but said they believed the wagon, which was travelling towards Clitheroe, had pulled out to negotiate roadworks.

The motorbike, heading towards Harrogate, swerved to avoid the vehicle but collided with the wagon.

A police officer at Gisburn station heard the crash and went out to help but Mrs Autton had been killed instantly.

Ambulance crews from Clitheroe and Barnoldswick were called.

Driver of the wagon Craig Meadows, 32, from Waddington, was not injured.

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