A 42 year-old Onchan man who lost his life in a road accident at the Mountain Box on Sunday is expected to be named by police today.

He died when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a grey Nissan Micra, driven by a woman from Union Mills, and a Blue Mini Cooper, driven by a visitor to the Island, at around 6.30pm.

The driver of the Mini received serious injuries and he remains in Noble's Hospital.

Inspector Derek Flint, who is leading investigations into the incident, says it's a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities of motorists.

He told Manx Radio:

"It brings everything into sharp focus, all the safety messages that are being geared up now, and it is an abject tragedy.

"It is the first one of these I've had to be lead investigator on since I left road policing, and it's just stood as a reminder to myself, as well as everybody else, what the risks on the roads are.

"We're just trying to put together at this stage as clear a picture as we possibly can of the last moments of the rider.

"We have to do a thorough investigation and find out exactly what happened and how he came to lose his life.

"The family have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this time."

Anyone who witnessed the actions of either a group of south-bound motorcyclists or north-bound cars, on the Mountain Rooad around the time of the collision, is asked to contact Police Headquarters in Douglas on 631212, or the anonymous Crimestoppers line, on 0800 555111.