One man died and two were seriously injured in a spate of accidents on mid-Essex roads.

An 18-year-old man from Braintree was taken to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, after he fell from his bicycle early on Sunday morning.

The accident happened as three men were cycling on a cycle track running parallel with Millennium Way, Braintree, at 1.10am.

The cyclist was taken to hospital with serious head injuries for treatment. He was yesterday (Monday) "stable" in the intensive care unit.

On Friday, a Maldon man died in a head-on crash in the town.

Clifford Bywater, 62, of Kestrel Mews, died after his Mazda was in collision with a Renault Clio being driven in the opposite direction at the Safeway roundabout on Limebrook Way.

The accident took place at about 12.20pm.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, a Chelmsford pedestrian was taken to hospital with serious head injuries after a collision in the county town.

The accident happened at 2.20am on Chelmer Valley Road, at the junction with Rectory Road. A black Austin Montego estate taxi, being driven by a 54-year-old man from Chelmsford, was in collision with the 25-year-old man, who was walking along the road.

The pedestrian was taken to Broomfield Hospital's intensive treatment unit by ambulance with serious head injuries.

Just hours later on Sunday, the A12 was closed for more than three hours when another accident happened at 9.10am on the Ipswich-bound carriageway at Mountnessing.

A 43-year-old London man riding a Honda motorcycle was in collision with a beige Ford Escort that failed to stop at the scene.

The rider was thrown from his bike and suffered serious injuries to his right leg and left elbow.

He was taken by Essex Air Ambulance to Broomfield Hospital, where he was operated on.

The road was re-opened at 12.50pm. At one point the London-bound carriageway of the A12 also had to be closed to allow the helicopter to land.

Police are anxious to trace the driver of the Escort and also the driver of a dark coloured estate car, possibly a Ford Granada or a VW Passat, who stopped at the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Paul Barber at Brentwood traffic police on 01277 201478

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