A motorcyclist was killed in a collision with a tractor - the eighth biker to lose a life on West Sussex roads this year.

The latest fatal accident on Saturday happened at Tillington, near Petworth.

The man, who was in his 30s, collided with a tractor on the A272 near the junction with South Lane just after 11am.

He is the eighth motorcyclist to be killed on roads in West Sussex so far this year compared to seven deaths during the whole of 2000.

All the fatal accidents have taken place during weekends and on public holidays and most involved powerful machines.

Four of the victims were over 40 with only one rider aged under 30.

Three were killed during August Bank Holiday weekend: a 17-year-old youth from Lancing came off his 125cc machine and collided with a post on a slip road of the A27 in Southwick, a 52-year-old man riding a 900cc machine collided with a Ford Focus at Funtington near Chichester, and a 55-year-old man on a Yamaha bike collided with a car on the Saddlescombe road, near Devil's Dyke.

Last week road safety campaigners appealed to bikers to be aware of risks on the roads.

Coun Tex Pemberton, who deals with road safety on West Sussex County Council, urged new riders or people returning to biking after a long break to get additional training on handling powerful machines.

Sussex police said motorcycle accidents had been a cause for concern for some time and they would be looking at accidents to see how they can reduce the risks on the road.

Coun Pemberton said he was saddened to hear about the latest motor cycle death.

He said: "I'm really concerned about the high number of motor cyclists who are losing their lives at weekends and on bank holidays.

"I would urge people to recognise the need for safety and to obey the speed limits."

Coun Pemberton stressed that he did not yet know the reasons for the latest accident.

He added: "I issued my statement last week about the worrying number of accidents because, whilst I want to be careful to consider the sensitivities of families, I could not sit back and continue watching this happening on our roads".

Coun Pemberton, who is the Cabinet member for the environment, which includes highway and road safety issues, said the latest accident at Tillington would be fully investigated by the police.

He added: "If there is something the county council needs to do to the highway then we will do it".