A MOTORCYCLIST struck a police officer with his bike a number of times during an incident in Taunton.

The officer approached a male rider in Moorland Road ahead of the assault.

Police have issued CCTV images of a motorcyclist they want to speak to in connection with the assault last Tuesday (June 30) at about 2.20pm.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: "The motorcyclist struck the officer’s leg a number of times with his bike and rode off.

"The officer was unharmed."

A motorbike, with registration number VU59 BZX, was found abandoned nearby afterwards.

The rider was described as white, in his late 20s or early 30s and about 5ft 10ins. He was said to have thick, dark, wavy hair and wore a dark-hooded top and a white full face crash helmet.

PC Simon Dawkins said: “We believe there were a number of people in the area at the time who may have seen what happened and we’d ask them to get in touch with us.

“They, or anyone who recognises the rider, should report the information online through our website, or call 101 and give the call-handler reference 5220143549.”