The officer, a member of the race escort team, was clearing roads at Powick, near Worcester, when he was in collision with a private car.

The Prutour press office said: "We are trying to establish further details of the incident which we understand occurred five minutes ahead of the race, 35 miles into the stage at Worcester Road on the A449.

The officer was treated for 18 minutes at the scene of the accident, and then rushed to Ronkswood hospital in Worcestershire, where he died.

The race was initially halted before the stage from Birmingham to Cardiff was abandoned, with the 90 riders being taken to Cardiff by car.

The race organisers said the cyclists' prize money for the day would be donated to the policeman's family.