A man who crashed with his motorcycle on Wednesday night on the Liopetri to Xylophagou road had been dismembered during impact with a metal barricade, pathologists said on Thursday.

Police have not yet officially named the man because he could not be identified, though a funeral announcement in the village of Xylophagou said it is 44-year-old father of two Giorgos Kyriacou.

The incident took place at around 9.15pm. Under circumstances that are under investigation, Kyriacou crashed into a moped driven by a 24-year-old.

The 44-year-old was flung from his motorcycle into the barricade at the side of the road suffering horrific injuries to the head and other parts of his body.

His motorcycle was found 170 metres from the point of impact, in a ditch.

State pathologists said he had suffered multiple injuries to the head, and vital organs and his body had been dismembered.