POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an early morning fatal road accident which claimed the life of a young motorcyclist.

Aircraft engineer Liam Owen, aged 26, from Henley Avenue, Biddulph, died at the scene from the multiple injuries he suffered in the accident.

The accident happened at 6.30am on Thursday when Mr Owen was riding his Honda motorbike out of Congleton on the A34 Manchester Road.

He was in collision with a Land Rover near the junction with Walfield Avenue, as the Land Rover was turning right into the main road.

The driver of the Land Rover was unhurt, and police set up diversions while the emergency services attended the scene.

An inquest into Mr Owen's death was opened and adjourned on Tuesday for identification purposes and to allow the funeral to take place.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident to ring PC Lesley Tysoe on 01244-613232.

The fatal accident was one of six on Cheshire's roads last week, prompting a call from the police for motorists to consider road conditions, the weather and the condition of their cars before setting out.

"Cheshire experienced variable weather last week, from frost to heavy rain, and all of these tragic accidents happened during the first part of the day," said a police traffic spokesman.

"We do not want to speculate on the cause of these incidents until the investigations are complete.

"However we need to reinforce the message that motorists' driving behaviour can mean the difference between life and death."