The community of Settle and the cycling fraternity across the globe are today mourning the death of Langcliffe man Stuart Holdsworth.

Mr Holdsworth, 64, was in collision with a VW Golf car which was towing a caravan on the A65 Settle bypass near Gildersleets, in Giggleswick.

The accident happened at 11.05am yesterday. Mr Holdsworth was taken to Airedale General Hospital where he died of his injuries soon after.

It is understood he was returning home after cycling one of his favourite routes, from his home to Rathmell, Wigglesworth, Bolton-by-Bowland and back.

He was secretary of the Settle-based World Wide Wheelers racing cycling club and was instrumental in organising many of the cycling events at last weekend’s successful Settle Community and Cycling Festival.

He also organised the Etape du Dales, a 110-mile cycling marathon in the district which attracted several hundred cyclists, many of them international riders.

Norris Lockley, founder of the WWW Club, said the loss of Stuart was tragic.

"His loss will be felt by everyone of all ages," he said. "He was adored by the younger members of the club and held in high esteem by all. He was very much a family man and our thoughts go out to Christine, his wife, and daughter Sophie.

"He was such an expert cyclist that I am sure he would have been cycling internationally had he not been very ill in his late 20s.

"He was simply poetry in motion, Settle’s own Eddy Merckx, who was Stuart’s cycling hero," Said Mr Lockley.

Following the accident on Thursday, police closed the road while collision investigators carried out an examination of the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact TC Carl Chaffer at Skipton road policing unit on 0845 6060 247.