A WEYMOUTH man died and a couple were taken to hospital after an accident on the A37 Dorchester to Yeovil road.

Police said the accident happened near Holywell cross at 1.30pm yesterday when a 39-year-old Weymouth man riding a blue Suzuki motorbike was in collision with a red Toyota Carina driven by a Beaminster man in his eighties, who had his wife as a passenger.

The motorcyclist died at the scene. The couple were taken to Dorset County Hospital by ambulance. The A37 was partially-closed and the road to nearby Evershot was closed for several hours, causing traffic congestion.

The accident is the ninth fatal crash on the stretch of road in the last five years. There has also been a catalogue of serious injuries in driving accidents on the route and police repeated warnings to motorists to take extra care.

Last month, two motorists died after separate accidents over one weekend on the same stretch of road at Stratton.

A former Weymouth student died after a collision between his car and a caravan one mile north of Holywell cross in May.

In April a Dorset man was killed after his car was in collision with a lorry on the A37 near Maiden Newton.

An elderly woman died in an accident while turning off the road into Norden Lane, leading to Maiden Newton, in September, 2000.

Sergeant Nigel Gallichan, of the Dorchester road policing unit, said: "There have been a series of fatal accidents on that road this year, although the circumstances of the accidents have all been very different. My advice to drivers following this incident would be to be aware of motorcyclists, who are not always clearly visible on the road."

Frank Bessard, 53, of Dorchester, said: "I drive to work along that road every day and as this has shown it can be lethal. They need to do something to slow drivers down and make the road safer. I feel like I take my life in my hands every time I drive to work."

James Stapleton, 44, of Maiden Newton, said: "There has got to be something done. I don't know when this is going to stop. There are just going to be more and more deaths. It is horrible."

Witnesses to the accident are asked to call PC Terry Swain on (01305) 226862.