WATCH: Lucky escape for motorcyclist whose bike goes up in flames
A motorcyclist had a close call after his motorbike burst into flames on the side of the road in the Black Country.
Michael Wesson, aged 31, from Wednesbury, bought the £350 Aprilia only two days earlier as a replacement for his broken car.
But his 50cc motorbike was left a charred wreck when it went up in flames outside Morrisons on Russell Street, Wednesbury yesterday afternoon.
Michael, an Asda van driver, said: "I was just shocked when it went up in flames.
"My bike started stuttering then it completely cut out at the traffic lights.
WATCH as flames engulf the motorbike
"I checked the coolant and battery to see what was wrong. Then when I started it up, flames came out from the carburettor."
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze by a member of the public as Michael didn't have his phone with him.
One man applied a fire extinguisher to the burning motorbike after stopping in his BMW.
When fire crews arrived the flames had got bigger, Michael said.
He added: "I'm gutted about what's happened. I was using my bike to get to work after my car broke down."
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "We received a call at 1.55pm to Holyhead Road where a motorbike was on fire.
"One crew from Tipton attended and we used a hose reel jet to extinguish the flames."
