TWO off-duty police officers helped treat a seriously injured motorcyclist at the roadside after he hit a lamppost.

The rider suffered extensive injuries in the crash when happened at Rushyford Roundabout, near Chilton, County Durham, on Sunday night.

Two officers came across the scene of the accident whilst driving to work to start a nightshift with Durham police's Road Policing Unit.

They stopped and began to provide immediate medical assistance, then worked with paramedics and air ambulance staff when they arrived to treat the 35-year-old man.

He was then taken to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, suffering from multiple injuries including a broken right leg and injuries to his back, neck, shoulder and ribs.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses to the accident, which happened just after 6.20pm.

The motorbike, a 125cc Quingqi Tracker, was being driven westbound along the A689.

A Durham Constabulary spokesman said: “As the vehicle approached the roundabout, it appears to have mounted a traffic island and hit the lamppost.

“Our officers were passing the scene on their way to work and were able to offer assistance until the arrival of a medical team and were then able to help the paramedics until the victim could be taken to hospital.

“He remains in hospital in a serious condition.

“We would appeal for anyone who saw the accident or saw the motorcycle in the moments leading up the crash to contact us”

Anyone with information is asked to call Durham Constabulary’s Road Policing Unit on 101, quoting reference 0357 of November 11.