British bikers killed in Italy named

Two of the Britons reportedly killed in a motorbike pile-up in Italy were today named by the Foreign Office.

Colin Morrish, 63, and Wendy Pointer, 60, from Rochester, in Kent, were among the Britons whose motorbikes reportedly crashed with a lorry.

A third Briton who died in the accident in Mezzolombardo, Trento, and a fourth who was taken to hospital are yet to be officially named.

The four were riding motorcycles in the northern province when they collided with a lorry, according to reports.

Initial reports indicated that the group emerged from a tunnel on two motorcycles yesterday evening and mistakenly believed that they were on a one-way road, according to Italian news agency Ansa.

It is believed they then crashed into a lorry coming from the other direction.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the deaths of three British nationals in a motorbike accident near Trento, Italy on September 22.

"One British national is in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

"We are providing consular assistance to all the families."

Mrs Pointer's 35-year-old daughter, who did not want to be named, said: "It's devastating. We were informed officially last night. We have been up all night.

"We are trying to come to terms with it. At the moment it's all very raw."