A MOTORCYCLIST has described how he tried to swerve but could do nothing to avoid a woman who was crossing the road in front of him. Kelly Reeman, 25, of Kneesworth Street, Royston, died after she was in collision with the motorcycle when crossing York Ro

A MOTORCYCLIST has described

how he tried to swerve but could do

nothing to avoid a woman who was

crossing the road in front of him.

Kelly Reeman, 25, of Kneesworth

Street, Royston, died after she was in

collision with the motorcycle when

crossing York Road in the town on April

8 this year.

She was taken to Lister Hospital but

died two days later.

At an inquest, held at Hatfield Coroner's

Court on Tuesday, Hertfordshire coroner

Edward Thomas recorded a verdict of accidental

death caused by traumatic brain injuries.

The rider of the motorcycle, Jonathan Lill,

who was 19 at the time of the

accident, told the inquest: "I

didn't see her until she

stepped out in front of me. She

was only about one metre

away.

"I tried to turn to the right

and swerve away from her, but

it was so close I couldn't really

do anything."

The inquest heard that Mr

Lill was driving without insurance,

and subsequently

received six points on his

licence because of this.

He had suffered a blackout

while driving the previous

year, and had been advised by

his neurologist not to drive

again for 12 months, but was

not disqualified from driving.

However, the coroner was

satisfied this was not a factor

in the accident.

The inquest heard from a

number of people who witnessed

the crash. One of these,

Andrew Turff, said he saw Miss

Reeman walking along the

path beside his van, before

stepping out between the stationary

traffic.

He said: "She looked left,

where the road was completely

clear, but I wasn't

aware of her looking right.

"She wouldn't have heard the

motorbike because it was

fairly quiet, and didn't see it

until the last moment."

Mr Turff raced out of his

vehicle to where Miss Reeman

was lying in the road.

He said: "Her eyes were half

open, but she didn't respond

to anything I was saying. Then

her eyes closed."

Pc Edward Peachment, who

investigated the accident, said

he believed the motorcycle

was travelling at around 25

mph when it struck Miss Reeman.

He said: "The driver was well

within the speed limit. A more

experienced rider may have

left a bigger gap between himself

and the cars, although I

cannot say whether this would

have made a difference in this

instance."

Recording a verdict of

accidental death, Mr

Thomas said Miss Reeman,

who worked for Hotel

Chocolat in Royston, was a

"lovely girl, who was well

liked, and well respected in

her job".

He added: "The motorcycle

was travelling at a reasonable

speed, and it

wouldn't have made any

difference had he been travelling

at 20 miles per hour.

"Unfortunately the impact

took Kelly by surprise and

she couldn't stop herself

from falling and hitting her

head on the road, and this is

what led to her death.