An American tourist was hospitalised in the worst collision after his bike hit another rider on South Road at the Southcote Road bend near Elbow Beach in Paget.

Police spokesman Alan Oliver attended the scene, but in an amazing twist of fate was involved in another accident on his way back to Police headquarters when he tried to stop a bike rider who was weaving in and out of traffic.

P.c. Oliver called for assistance when the suspect ran off, but the Police car which was sent to his aid was involved in a three-car pile-up in the centre of Hamilton.

P.c. Oliver said: "I was heading back when I saw somebody committing a series of road traffic offences.

"I followed him on my bike and spotted him a short time later coming towards me at the Middle Road/Montpelier Road junction.

"I stopped my bike and signalled for him to stop, but he collided with me and ran off towards Hesitation Lane. I called for assistance and gave chase on foot towards Cavendish apartments, eventually finding him hiding in a garden.'' Meanwhile an unmarked Police car which sped to P.c. Oliver's aid was involved in a pile-up at the Church and Parliament street junction.

Witnesses said traffic had stopped as the Police car put on its siren while heading east on Church Street.

As it crossed the Parliament Street junction after running a red light a greenish/silver Mazda collided with it and then shot across the road and hit a waiting red Daewoo.

Bystanders blasted the slow response from the ambulance service after the smash.

They said the injured woman driver had waited for more than quarter of an hour before the ambulance finally arrived.

The Mazda driver wept as she sat in the car while a passerby comforted her.

One onlooker said: "She had the right of way because the light was on green, but she can't have heard the siren.'' Accidents "She drove across and the cop car hit her. It was doing some serious speed.

It must have been doing at least 40 mph.'' Jackqueline Jackson, the driver of the red Daewoo, said: "I heard the siren and the traffic stopped. I was just sitting there when it came at me. I couldn't even move.'' Ms Jackson complained of neck injuries and boarded the ambulance with the Mazda driver, but neither is thought to have sustained serious injuries.

Nursing co-ordinator Vivien Pereira said King Edward VII Memorial Hospital would be investigating the complaint of slow response to the Hamilton accident which had happened around 2.45 p.m.

Last night the American tourist injured in the bike collision near Elbow beach was said to be in stable condition in the emergency ward.

The 28-year-old New Yorker had struggled to his feet after the 1 p.m.

collision as onlookers tried to calm him down. He later lost consciousness.

Police are still investigating. But one eye witness said the tourist had tried to overtake another vehicle on the bend and had strayed into the path of a local biker.

The tourist, who is staying on the Nordic Empress cruise ship, was heard to say: "I didn't do anything,'' according to one onlooker.

The other biker, a 51-year-old St. George's man, was released from hospital after treatment for a fractured shoulder and lower spinal injuries.

Police appealed for the witnesses who had helped the injured bikers to come forward. Anyone with information should call P.c. Renelda Swan on 295-0011.

Last night Police released these limited details of the other accidents which occurred yesterday: 10.50 a.m. Pembroke -- ambulance sent; 11.45 a.m. St. George's -- no ambulance required; 2.10 p.m. Paget -- no ambulance required; 2.55 p.m. Hamilton -- ambulance sent; 3.15 p.m. Paget -- ambulance sent; 3.20 p.m. Paget -- ambulance sent; and 4.30 p.m. Sandys -- ambulance sent.

It is believed the last one referred to an overturned lorry on Somerset Bridge which held up traffic for an hour.

P.c. Oliver said: "So many accidents in five hours is highly unusual. It's not as if the weather has been bad.'' He added that the ambulance had been sent just as a precautionary measure for many of the accidents.