Bike fire drama on Bilston road

A motorbike bursts into flames in the middle of a busy Black Country road in this dramatic scene.

Flames leapt more than 10ft in the air after the limited edition Suzuki GXR 1000 K9 burst into fire on the busy Wellington Road in Bilston.

Rider Chris Southern escaped without injury after his treasured bike - which he had only owned for a month - erupted into a fireball.

Click on the images to the right to see more pictures.

Crowds of onlookers gathered as the drama unfolded at around 12.40pm yesterday.

The bike caught fire following a minor collision with a car.

Mr Southern, a machinery operator from Lime Avenue, Bentley, Walsall, told today how he was thrown from the bike at the moment of impact.

He added. "I didn't realise it was on fire until someone came up to me as I was picking myself up off the floor - it just happened so fast."

The 37-year-old said although he was upset to see what happened to his bike, he was more keen to ensure that the people in the car were OK.

West Midlands Fire Service spokesman Jeremy Sharpe saidt here were no casualties in the drama.