Cyclist, 85, died from head injuries after crash - inquest

An 85-year-old Sompting woman died when a car collided with her bicycle in Lancing, a Worthing inquest heard.

Cecily Anne Marshall, of Cokeham Lane, died on December 23 last year at Worthing Hospital.

She had fallen into a coma after suffering severe head injuries in a road crash on December 16.

West Sussex coroner Roger Stone gave a verdict of accidental death at the inquest on Tuesday.

Mr Stone said: "In the course of overtaking, the car has come into contact with the bicycle and the rider has fallen to the ground.

"As a result, the rider has suffered head injuries and subsequently died.

"There was no suggestion of excess speed or either vehicle being in a dangerous condition."

Pathologist Mark Appleton confirmed the cause of death was a "blunt head injury".

He continued: "She had injuries to her brain and there was also a major fracture to the skull.

"It's really quite difficult to say whether the lack of a helmet would have played a part.

"This type of fracture could still occur with a helmet. It is the most common fracture in cycling fatalities."

Eye witness Lisa Marie Clement, 15, of Hurstfleld, Tower Road, Lancing, noticed Mrs Marshall cycling along Sompting Road, Lancing, just before the accident.

She said; "I heard a bang and saw Mrs Marshall on the floOr.

"The driver came over and then I telephoned for the ambulance."

Friend Bethany Pope, 14, also witnessed the incident and said: "I saw the Ford Mondeo car clip the bike."

Driver Celina Lloyd, of Western Road, Lancing, confirmed a statement she had given to PC Simon Patrick Dove.

PC Dove said: "The driver saw Mrs Marshall on the pedal bike, and the driver indicated left to go into Tower Road.

"As the cycle was near to the kerb, she presumed Mrs Marshall was going into Tower Road."

PC Dove said Mrs Lloyd realised she had collided with the cyclist when she heard the noise of the impact.

A statement from Mrs Marshall's son Alan, who lives in Australia, explained she had been taken to Worthing Hospital, slipped into a coma and artificial life support was removed following family consultation.