A biker was clocked by police doing more than 144mph on a road with a 60mph speed limit, a court heard.

Jason Elton Thorpe, of Nelson, Lancashire, was one of six bikers whose case was dealt with by Skipton magistrates yesterday.

Thorpe was clocked at 144.6mph on the A65 Settle bypass.

When told how fast he was going, the 28-year-old rider was so shocked he decided there and then to sell his bike and not get another, the court was told.

He was banned from the road for three months and fined £200, the presiding magistrate describing his speed as "quite horrendous".

The police clampdown follows complaints from local people about the speed of bikers heading from West Yorkshire to renowned meeting place Kirkby Lonsdale, where they meet at Devil's Bridge throughout the summer.

Thorpe, who pleaded guilty to speeding, was caught travelling at more than double the maximum legal limit on motorways on Easter Monday. Prosecutor Susan Kerr said Thorpe's speed was measured by police radar at 144.6mph, well over twice the 60mph speed limit on the Settle bypass.

He was riding a powerful 900cc Honda Fireblade motorbike.

His solicitor Ruth Weir said he had been "absolutely amazed and astounded" when police told him how fast he had been riding.

The road was dry, straight and empty and he had just decided to open up the bike's throttle, but he failed to appreciate the power at his fingertips.

Miss Weir added that Thorpe had made the decision there and then that he would not ride a motorbike again.

He had since sold the machine and had no intention of buying another.

"He really has frightened himself, shocked himself and amazed himself at what happened back in April," she told the court.

Thorpe, who works as a frame assembler, realised he would be banned, but luckily lived only five minutes' walk from his work, said Miss Weir.

Thorpe must also pay £45 in prosecution costs.

Passing sentence, presiding magistrate Sheila Foster told him: "This speed is totally unacceptable, you do realise that?

" I know it is a straight road but 144mph is quite horrendous."

Ends.