Three bikers have died in a road crash during a touring holiday in Italy.

Colin Morrish and Wendy Pointer from Rochester and Michael Vercoe from West Kingsdown, all in their 60s, are believed to have collided with a lorry as they came out of a tunnel in Mezzolombardo, Trento, on Tuesday night.

Mr Vercoe’s wife Faye, 63, was seriously injured and is said to be critically ill in hospital.

Mr Morrish’s business, CM Motorcycles, in Rochester High Street has been closed until further notice.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed Mrs Pointer was a clinical nurse specialist in rheumatology at Medway Maritime Hospital.

A spokesman said: "She was a valued member of the Trust and a good friend to colleagues and patients alike and will be sorely missed.

"Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time."

According to early reports in Italy, the four emerged from the tunnel on two motorcycles and mistakenly believed they were on a one-way road.

The two couples, who had been taking part in the Motorcycle Touring Club of Europe along with eight other Britons, are believed to have been visiting another member Gordon Ellis, 58, who had been injured in an accident last week.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office, 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.”

A spokesman for the coroner’s office for mid-Kent and Medway said: “Once their bodies are re-patriated a post mortem will be carried out (on British soil) and an inquest open and adjourned.”

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