A MOTORCYCLIST may have been driving at speeds of up to 100mph when he lost control of his machine, an inquest heard yesterday.

Darren Tyler Edwards, 36, of Park Lane, Darlington died in hospital following the accident on the B6279, near Walworth, on September 21.

His Kawasaki ZX 600 bike had just overtaken another vehicle near the Walworth crossroads when the rider lost control of the bike.

The machine crashed through a fence and came to rest in a field.

Accident investigators said analysis of tyre marks on the road placed the speed at 73mph, but that the calculation was not likely to be accurate because the machine had continued more than 15 metres after it left the road.

PC Malcolm Thomas told yesterday's inquest, at Chester-le-Street Magistrates' Court: "Witnesses he had overtaken describe the motorcycle's speed as between 90mph and 100mph and I couldn't disagree with that."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle said: "It would appear that the likely cause of Mr Edwards at losing control of his motorcycle was the very high speed it was travelling at the time."