A BALD tyre and muddy patches on the road could have contributed to the death of 18 year old Newent motorcylist Shaun Payne last year, an inquest heard.

Mr Payne, a roofer from of Foley Road, Newent, was riding his red Yamaha 125cc motorbike, with his mum Francine driving her car not far behind, when he crashed on the B4215. on Oct 24.

Mrs Payne, who had her younger son, Max, with her had lost sight of Shaun while waiting in a queue of traffic. She then heard that a motorbike had crashed on the road ahead and she rushed to the scene and held her son's hand while paramedics tried to save him.

At an inquest in Gloucester on March 7, the assistant county coroner, Caroline Saunders, concluded his death was due to a road traffic collision.

As Mr Payne pulled away from temporary traffic lights he lost control at a left hand bend and ended up in the opposite lane.

He was then in collision with a Fiat Punto coming the other way.

Doctor Adam Brown, who attended the scene with paramedics, said "Shaun was treated at the roadside after being hit by a car. He had been thrown from his bike and his helmet had been thrown off.

"There was evidence of significant head injury and he did not have any output or respond to any of the life-saving treatment. The decision was made to stop resuscitation and Shaun was pronounced deceased at 18.10 pm at the scene."

The driver of the Fiat Punto, Jessica Cronk, had been travelling from Highleadon. In a statement she said she had been travelling at about 40-45 mph.

Ms Cronk said she recalled a motorbike coming round the bend with the rear wheel on her side of the road appearing to be travelling sideways.

She said she applied the brakes but collided with the bike and heard "a loud bang."

PC Richard Hignett, Collision Investigator, said the road surface was wet but there was no standing water.

But he added: There were mud patches along the carriageway probably due it being used by agricultural vehicles."

PC Hignett said scratch marks, 11 metres long on the road, indicated that the bike slid prior to the collision.

Ms Cronk was driving at a speed of approximately 36-47 mph and the speed limit on that stretch of road is 50 mph, he said.

He confirmed it was not possible to ascertain the speed of the bike at the time of the collision but said the evidence suggests Mr Payne was riding in a normal manner up to the point of losing control.

PC Hignett confirmed that the rear tyre of the motorcycle was "completely devoid of tread along the centre section for the full circumference of the tyre."

PC Hignett noted the helmet became detached upon collision and said that "if the chin strap done up fully this doesn't normally happen but we cannot determine whether the chin strap was attached correctly."

PC Hignett also said Mr Payne's helmet was fitted with a visor which was not considered suitable for road use.

The Assistant Coroner said "After negotiating a left hand bend Shaun apparently lost control colliding with a motor vehicle.

"I recognise several contributory factors. There was evidence of muddy patches across the road which could become slippery when wet and the rear tyre of the motorbike was devoid of tread.

"Both of these could have contributed to the accident."