Motorcyclist's death ruled a '˜tragic accident'

A MOTORCYCLIST found dead by the side of a road was involved in a tragic accident, a coroner has ruled.

An inquest was held at Portsmouth Coroner’s Court yesterday into the death of 58-year-old Martin Southwell.

The 58-year-old, from Andover, was found near Fort Fareham Industrial Estate, Fareham, by a passer-by on Thursday, September 24. The court heard that Mr Southwell, a wireman who specialised in cabling for outside broadcast, had been working on the estate that day.

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His employer Graeme Lewis said that Mr Southwell was ‘in a good mood’ and ‘no different to any other day’ when he left work in his biking leathers on his motorbike.

But a short time later, at about 2.10pm, Mr Southwell’s bike – a black Triumph Rocket Roadster – was found in the road and Mr Southwell was discovered in a bush on the side of the road by Alan Parry, a community co-responder who was also working nearby.

Mr Parry said he could not find a pulse but he performed CPR on Mr Southwell.

Despite his efforts, Mr Southwell was pronounced dead by emergency workers at the scene.

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Mr Southwell’s wife Jean said he had appeared to be fine – despite a history of medical conditions for orthopaedic problems – when he left the house that morning.

She said: ‘He was on very good form that day, very optimistic and very well in himself.’

She spoke to him in his garage and told him to ‘have a lovely day’ before she set off for work.

‘That day he looked keen to go and keen to do the work,’ she said.

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Crash investigator PC Tracey Saunders said in a statement that the bike 
had been travelling under 20mph when it did not turn with a bend in the road, and came off, hitting a signpost and a tree.

She said that evidence from the scene suggested that the most likely cause of the accident was due to Mr Southwell not steering, due to a momentary lapse in attention, distraction or a medical episode.

Coroner David Horsley said: ‘For some reason known only to Martin himself, he has failed to negotiate the bend.’

He added: ‘It was a very tragic accident.’