AN advanced motorcyclist rode at speeds of more than 100mph before colliding with a car, an inquest heard yesterday.

Project engineer Nigel Wright was thrown 92 metres from his yellow Ducati 750cc motorcycle after colliding with a Mercedes car on the Laneside B-road, in Middleton-in- Teesdale, County Durham on October 2, last year.

Coroner Oliver Crispin recorded a verdict of accidental death at Chester-le-Street Magistrates’ Court, stating that the 66-year-old woman who was driving the car would have been unable to see Mr Wright’s fast approach.

PC Ian Haigh, who investigated the crash, told the inquest: “Mr Wright’s bike was fitted with a chase cam, a device used to record bikers’ journeys, which allowed us to view footage of his movements in the run up to the accident.

“We were able to ascertain that, on average, he was travelling at a speed of about 75mph and at one point he reached a speed of 101mph.

“Unfortunately, the camera cuts off about 30 seconds before the collision and at this point we were able to ascertain that he was travelling at about 97mph and, judging by the engine noise, he was accelerating.

We recreated the scene of the accident using a police officer on a motorbike.

“It’s my opinion that Mr Wright will have come into the lady’s view when he was 104 metres away.

“But he could have been much closer when she saw him.

“At that distance and at those speeds, I don’t think she would have seen him and, if she did, it would have been for a maximum of 0.5 seconds.

“She could not have reacted and avoided the collision in that time.”

Mr Wright had been passionate about motorbikes since he was a teenager.

He learnt to ride to an advanced level and helped to instruct police motorcyclists in Lincoln.

Giving his verdict, Mr Crispin said: “He was clearly a very skilled and experienced motorcyclist.

“On this one occasion, he was obviously going too fast and that is how he has become involved in this accident.

“My sympathies are with his family.”