POLICE have launched an investigation after a biker lying injured in the road after falling from his motorcycle died after he was run over by an ambulance responding to a separate 999 call.

Michael Colley, 33, from Calne, had come off his Suzuki GSXR in the early hours of Sunday morning as he rode along the A4 at Black Dog Hill, near Chippenham.

Two passers-by stopped their car to help and found him unconscious but breathing and phoned for an ambulance. Shortly afterwards an ambulance taking a patient to Bath’s Royal United Hospital drove towards them and collided with Mr Colley, who was still lying in the road.

A Great Western Ambulance Service spokes-man said the ambulance was travelling under emergency conditions, with blue lights flashing but no sirens and not at speed. He added: “While the crew was en route along Black Dog Hill a motorist tried to flag them down and alert them to the body of a fallen motorcyclist in the road. Tragically, the crew did not see the body in time and the vehicle hit the male motorcyclist lying in the road.”

Two doctors from the Swift Medics response team attended and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance was deployed but Mr Colley was pronounced dead at the scene and the air ambulance was stood down.

The two passers-by who helped were too traumatised to talk this week, and reports from the scene said the woman ambulance driver was devastated.

The GWAS spokesman said she is being given support by the service.

Mr Colley was single, originally from Calne and believed to have been staying with friends.

The incident is being dealt with by the Wiltshire Police serious collision investigation team.

The ambulance service spokesman said the patient travelling to the RUH was assessed and treated by one of the Swift medics at the scene and no longer required taking to hospital. He added: “Our sincere condolences to the friends and family of the deceased motorcyclist in this tragic event. We are co-operating fully with the police investigation.”

Witnesses should contact the serious collision investigation team on 0845 408 7000.