The police helicopter played a “crucial” role in locating an injured motorcyclist who came off his motorbike on a back road close to Long Melford last night.

The male motorcyclist who had ended up in ditch on Lavenham Road, between Long Melford and Lavenham, was able to make contact using his mobile phone.

However, he did not know where he was and had sustained an injury to his shoulder.

Suffolk police received a call from the man’s relatives who had a rough idea of the route he had taken.

The police helicopter was despatched around 9.30pm and powerful ‘nightsun’ searchlights were used to pinpoint the man’s location.

Road units were then sent to the scene along with an ambulance. The motorcyclist was treated at the scene for minor injuries including a suspected broken collar bone.

A police spokesman said: “The motorcylist had come off his bike into a ditch in a very rural area, he was injured and didn’t know where he was. We were concerned for his safety so the police helicopter was despatched and it proved crucial in locating him.”