Police officer dies in North Yorkshire collision

PC Rosie Prior joined the force in 2022

A North Yorkshire police officer has died after she was struck by a lorry while helping at the scene of an earlier road accident.

PC Rosie Prior was standing on the verge of the A19 at Bagby, near Thirsk, with the driver and passenger of one of the cars involved when the lorry collided with them at 08:55 GMT on Saturday morning.

Ms Prior and Ryan Welford, 41, from Knaresborough, who had been involved in the first collision, both died at the scene.

The 65-year-old lorry driver from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been released under investigation.

A teenage boy who was a passenger in Mr Welford's car is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

"It is with profound sadness to confirm the death of PC Rosie Prior on Saturday morning," North Yorkshire Chief Constable Tim Forber said.

"This is clearly a deeply traumatic and heart-breaking event for everyone involved."

PC Prior's family described her as "a loving mum, wife, daughter, sister, aunty and will be deeply missed".

Mr Welford's family said he was a "hard-working and loving father, husband, son and brother. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends."

Police have issued an appeal for witnesses and motorists with dashcam footage to get in touch by emailing [e-mail] quoting reference number 12250006038.