A MAN has been arrested after a cyclist died and another was injured in a collision with a Transit van during an all-night riding event.

The friends were among hundreds of cyclists taking part in an annual all-night ride from east London to Suffolk.

Andrew Rawling, 38, of Barrett Road, Walthamstow, was certified dead at the scene in High Road, North Weald.

His 41-year-old friend, also from Walthamstow, was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, with minor injuries.

The accident happened at 10.10pm on Saturday, about two hours after an estimated 700 cyclists set off from Hackney to cycle the 120 miles to Dunwich beach in Suffolk.

The 14th Dunwich Dynamo event, organised by the London-based cycling group Southwark Cyclists, sees cyclists make the journey overnight and return to London by coach.

An ambulance spokesman said: "Despite the best efforts of the crews they were unable to save the patient because of multiple injuries."

The Transit van driver, a 62-year-old man from Waltham Abbey, was uninjured. Officers arrested him on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, but released him pending further inquiries. He will report back to police on Friday, August 25.

Southwark Cyclists co-ordinator Barry Mason, who was taking part in the ride, said it was now proposed to hold next year's event, set for July 28, in Mr Rawling's memory.

Mr Mason told the Guardian: "There's a real solidarity among cyclists in London. It's just such a tragedy."

He said there was little other traffic on the road at the time of the accident and he feared the worst when he was overtaken by emergency vehicles and came across the crash scene.

"I arrived about 15 minutes after it happened. Several police cars had gone past me with their sirens wailing," he said.

Mr Mason added: "All the cyclists are very experienced, well equipped. There's nothing you can do to prevent something like that happening."

Mr Mason said Mr Rawling and the cyclist who was injured were with about six friends and had bunched up with other riders to form a group of some 30 cyclists who were spread out over a 20m-30m stretch of road.

The event continued after Mr Rawling's friends decided that was what he would have wanted.

Ironically the accident came eight days after a national newspaper article about cycling road deaths was posted on the Southwark Cyclists group website, with an introduction from the person posting the message saying they did not intend the article to "spread doom and gloom".

In a statement, Southwark Cyclists said the group sent its "deepest condolences" to Mr Rawling's wife, family and friends. It added: "Words just aren't enough."

Anyone who saw the van or the cyclists in the moments leading up to the collision, or anyone who witnessed the collision, should ring the Chigwell road policing unit on 01279 621866.