A BIKER who was rushed to hospital following a horror crash on the A31 has lost his fight for life.

The 54-year-old, named locally as David Bartholomew, died in hospital after Tuesday morning’s crash.

Mr Bartholomew, of Bere Regis, was riding a Honda motorcycle when he was in collision with a car at the A31 junction with Uddens Drive, near Stapehill.

Despite being rushed to Poole Hospital, the experienced motorcyclist died of multiple injuries.

His devastated family spent a poignant moment visiting the crash site yesterday.

The deceased, who is thought to have a daughter, Charli, and a son, James, was a member of the Wareham-based Dorset Motor-cycle Club, where many bikers knew him as Barty.

DMC organiser Bobbi White said the members who had learned of the tragedy were “incredibly shocked.”

She added: “He was a lovely bloke, just the sort of bloke you felt was a friend as soon as you met him.”

Mr Bartholomew had enjoyed a European road trip with his closest friends at the club, where he’d been a member for around five years, she said.

Bobbi, who remembers ‘nattering away’ to Mr Bartholomew at club socials, stressed: “He was a keen, accomplished biker.

“He was just not the sort of motorcyclist to have an accident.

“I am just so shocked.

“I think this is the first time we have had a club member die on a bike. I just did not expect it. My thoughts are with his family.”

Meanwhile, police crash investigators – who shut the busy A31 for almost five hours following the 7.15am accident – have urged witnesses to come forward.

An off-duty police sergeant from the armed response unit, who was travelling home after a night shift at Ferndown, was the first on the scene to deliver CPR to the motorcyclist.

This officer managed to resuscitate him before he was taken to Poole Hospital’s A&E.

The 22-year-old female driver of the car involved was shocked but otherwise unhurt.

Yesterday, a Dorset Police spokesman confirmed: “Follow-ing a road traffic collision on the A31 at the junction with Uddens Drive on Tuesday 20th March 2012, the 54-year-old male rider of the Honda CBF 1000 motorcycle has died in Poole Hospital.

“The motorcycle was travelling from Canford Bottom roundabout toward Ferndown when it was in collision with a silver Peugeot 206 which came from Uddens Drive.

“Police would like to speak to anybody who saw the collision or either of the two vehicles prior to the collision.”