Accident verdict on cyclist in fatal fall

Colin Ankers died after cycle accident.

A devoted family man died after falling from his cycle and hitting his head, an inquest heard yesterday.

The accident happened in June last year as father-of-one Colin Ankers was heading home on Broadway after finishing a late shift at Littlewoods in Shaw.

Passers-by rushed to his aid and Mr Ankers (54), of Whitegate Lane, Chadderton, was taken to hospital but died the same day.

PC David Holmes, a forensic collision reconstruction officer, believed Mr Ankers, who was not wearing a helmet, fell and hit his head when the left pedal of his bike struck a kerb.

Witness Mark Ashworth, who was driving along the opposite carriageway with his girl friend Lauren Kay, stopped to help.

He said that he had seen quite a big branch on the road near by but didn't know whether Mr Ankers had ridden over it.

Consultant pathologist Dr Baden Amissah said a post-mortem revealed a deep cut to Mr Ankers’ right temple, as well as a large bruise and grazing on the right side of his body.

He added that one of his arteries was quite narrow, so there was a slim possibility he had suffered an attack. He concluded that Mr Ankers died after suffering a traumatic head injury.

Assistant deputy coroner Michael Salt said: “There seems to have been a branch in the rider’s way — I can’t say if it was necessarily involved or that he rode over it or swerved to avoid it. But we can say he lost control of his bike and that his left pedal hit the kerb.”

He was sure there had been no third party involvement and gave a verdict of accidental death.

Mrs Joanne Ankers said her husband was a lovely man with a wicked sense of humour and that he was devoted to his family.

She added: “I want to thank everybody who looked after Colin that night. I really appreciate everything — especially that people phoned an ambulance and everyone who had any contact with him.”