A MOTORCYCLIST was killed on the A36 near Warminster in a smash police have called one of the most harrowing.

John Laurence, 43, from Stoke Gifford, Bristol, died instantly when his Ducati was involved in a head-on collision with a Vauxhall Frontera, at Black Dog Hill, at 10.50am on Sunday.

The Vauxhall, travelling towards Bath, was overtaking a line of stationary vehicles looking to turn right.

Police believe its driver, a 35-year-old woman from the Warminster area, moved into the middle lane and went across the carriageway and into the path of Mr Laurence.

The car driver and another motorcyclist suffered minor injuries. The road was closed until 7pm as crash investigators studied the scene.

Senior investigating officer PC Dave Cooper said: "I think we can say it was one of the most harrowing collisions we've had in recent times.

"With the volume of traffic that we have on the roads drivers have got to be aware of what is happening around them.

"Anything that distracts the driver's attention from his job of driving safely makes the chances of an accident higher. It's a matter of awareness and drivers are failing."

Sunday's crash came at a spot residents in the nearby village of Chapmanslade say is notorious for accidents and have repeatedly called for double white lines across the entire stretch. Despite apparent promises, the Highways Agency, which controls trunk roads like the A36, has yet to do this.

Fraser Mills, who lives at neighbouring Black Dog Farm, said: "This is the first fatality in the nine years we've been here, but this has been waiting to happen all that time.

"I only see the stretch at weekends, before 8am and after 6pm, but I've seen three collisions this year. It's almost always at the same spot where people start overtaking,

"The road gets closed once a month for an accident on that stretch, maybe every six weeks.

"I've had two great big holes in the wall outside my house when cars have left the road. A flying Peugeot 206 hit our wall upside down, but somehow the woman survived.

"It's just the pure stupidity of drivers and of the people that won't put double white lines in."

Chapmanslade Parish Council chairman Dennis Barnard said: "In the old days when the A36 actually went through Black Dog Hill it was almost safer then than it is now because drivers couldn't see where they were going and slowed down."

Anyone with information on Sunday's crash should contact PC Steve Holbrow at the Westbury traffic unit on (01373) 827689.

TRAGIC TOLL

The A36 has claimed six lives this year:

August 8, 2004: Bristol motorcyclist John Lawrence, 43, dies after colliding with a Vauxhall Frontera on Black Dog Hill, near Chapmanslade

April 22, 2004: Frome resident Robert Griffin, 26, killed in a two-car collision between Cley Hill and the Granada Service Station. A driver and 16-year-old passenger needed treatment in intensive care.

March 29, 2004: Retired HGV instructor John Barnes, 80, and his 62-year-old wife Priscilla, from Shepton Mallet, died in a head-on smash near Codford. Four other people were injured in the collision between a Vauxhall Cavalier and Ford Fiesta.

February 12, 2004: An 18-year-old driver from Hampshire was found dead at the scene of a high-speed pile-up between Heytesbury and Crockerton. A 36-year-old man from Amesbury died in hospital the following day as a result of the crash involving a Ford Orion and a Toyota Carina.