A DRIVER was killed yesterday on the same stretch of road that claimed another motorist less than a year ago.

The accident happened at 8.47am when a Volkswagen Golf was in collision with a Nissan Primera just after the Ballard's Ash crossroads and the Callow Hill crossroads, near Brinkworth, on the road to Wootton Bassett.

The Volkswagen driver, who has not been named yet, was cut out of his car by fire crews, but was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other driver was taken to the Great Western Hospital, in Swindon, with arm and leg injuries, which are not thought to be serious.

The stretch of road on which the accident happened has long been the subject of calls for a speed limit after Malmesbury woman Angela Eldridge died there in August last year.

Mrs Eldridge, 37, was driving home from her job at a coach company in Aldbourne, near Marlborough, when she was involved in a horrific pile up between a road sweeper and a lorry. There have also been two other accidents on the stretch, but the vehicle occupants escaped with minor injuries.

Ann Gamble, clerk of Brinkworth Parish Council, said: "We are desperately sorry to hear that this has happened again in our parish.

"Our campaign to have speed limits introduced in Brinkworth has been partially successful as there is a speed limit in the village itself now, but not on the road out of it.

"It's difficult to know what to do along that road, as these accidents seem to keep happening.

"We would just hope and pray that people are more careful when they drive and stop this happening again."

The fatal crash at Brinkworth was the most serious of eight accidents on the county's roads yesterday that fire crews were called out to before 3.30pm.

Crews are blaming the bad weather conditions for the accidents, the majority of which did not cause any serious injuries to drivers or pedestrians.

Divisional Officer Tony Oliver said: "This has been a bad day on the roads, with crews being called out to far more incidents than on a normal day, and I think the vast majority of the collisions were caused by the weather conditions.

"A spell of wet weather following a long period of dry weather offers very dangerous driving conditions as roads become extremely slippery.

"Tyres leave a rubbery deposit on roads during dry weather and when it rains that turns the road surface extremely slippery, which combines with poor visibility and high winds to make driving dangerous.

"We would urge drivers to slow down, switch their lights on and leave plenty of space between them and drivers in front."

Meanwhile, motorcyclist Robert Gray is fighting for his life after he lost control of his new sports bike while taking his 14-year-old son for a ride at 10.30am on Saturday.

Police say Mr Gray, 41, was between Hilmarton and Calne on the A3102, when his Honda Fireblade skidded into the verge, 100 yards from Beversbrook Farm, ripping off the front wheel.

Mr Gray, an engineer from Calne, suffered severe head and chest injuries and was airlifted to Swindon's Great Western Hospital where yesterday he was described as being in a critical condition.

His son, from Weston-super-Mare, in Somerset, escaped with cuts and bruises, but is said to be very shaken.

Police are waiting for Mr Gray to be well enough to interview to establish the cause of the accident.

Mr Gray is the third motorcyclist from north Wiltshire to suffer severe injuries in a road accident in the last four weeks.

On May 30, father-of-two Tony Read from Lacock, was killed when his motorbike collided with a Mondeo, at Blacklands, just outside Calne.

Mr Read, who ran his own advertising company, died two weeks before his youngest daughter, Abby, celebrated her first birthday.

A week later David Haines, 22, from Lyneham suffered leg injuries after he was in collision with a car on the Chippenham to Bristol Road at Allington. Mr Haines was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.

Sergeant Chris Moore said: "It seems like every summer we have these type of accidents when riders who haven't ridden their bikes during the winter decide to go out for a ride."

The road between Lyneham and Calne was the scene of two fatal motorcycle accidents last year. RAF father-of-two Colin Burnett died on May 26 at Lyneham Banks and Andrew Nuttall, 29, was killed just two weeks later.