Police officer dies in crash on dual carriageway

A flag was raised at half-mast at Essex Police's headquarters on Thursday

A police officer who was responding to an emergency has died in a crash on a dual carriageway.

He was riding a motorcycle on the A12 near Ingatestone in Essex at about 12:25 GMT on Wednesday.

Essex Police believes no other vehicle was involved and it said the officer died at the scene.

Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington said the "thoughts and prayers" of the "entire Essex Police family" were with those who knew the man, described as a "professional and courageous colleague".

"He was a dedicated professional who died doing his job – protecting and serving the people of Essex. I will always be grateful for his service," said Mr Harrington.

"I also want to thank the public who were affected by the collision for their patience, understanding and co-operation with officers and our emergency service colleagues who responded to the collision."

The crash happened on the A12 near Ingatestone

The road was closed all Wednesday afternoon and into the evening.

Mr Harrington also asked people not to speculate about the crash and the circumstances.

Roger Hirst, the police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex, said: "This is a tragic, terrible incident in which the life of a valued and respected officer has been lost.

"We pay tribute to this officer who was carrying out his duties keeping Essex people safe and secure.

"Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and colleagues."

Earlier, a flag of the force's crest was raised at half-mast at the Essex Police headquarters in Chelmsford.