AAP


A motorcyclist who crashed during a police chase at Heatherbrae, north of Newcastle, has died in hospital.


Police stopped the 40-year-old motorcyclist on Boxing Day at a stationary RBT site at Fern Bay and found he did not hold a current rider's licence.


Police said the man sped away and officers followed him, with the motorbike leaving the roadway and crashing into a metal pole.


The man was taken to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle in a critical condition and died on Thursday morning.


His death has taken the state's holiday road toll to 12.


* The national road toll period runs from 0001 December 23, 2012, until 2359 January 3, 2013, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.