A KEEN motorcyclist from Cwmbran died after losing control of his bike and colliding with a car, an inquest heard yesterday.

Daniel Andrew Walker, 23, of Croesyceiliog, died on February 12 this year after riding his purple Suzuki motorcycle along the road between Usk and Gwehelog and being in a collision with a Volkswagen Passat.

Mr Walker, who had been out riding with his brother, was taken to Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

At Gwent Coroner’s Court, deputy coroner Wendy Bowen recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Giving evidence at the inquest, Mr Walker’s brother Richard Walker said Daniel was a keen motorcyclist and the brothers would often go out on rides together.

Mr Walker said they had decided to go for a ride on February 12 and part of the ride saw them riding along the old Monmouth Road.

On this road, Daniel overtook his brother and the pair were faced with some sharp bends where the condition of the road went from being dry to quite damp.

He said as they came around a second bend he saw his brother heading towards the front of an oncoming car.

In evidence Janet Dinah Mann, who had been driving the car, said she was driving at between 20 and 30 miles per hour along the road when she became aware of a motorcycle coming towards her on her side of the road.

She said: “It was skidding towards me.

I managed to stop the car. There was a split second and then I felt a bump.”

A post mortem examination showed Mr Walker died from multiple injuries.

Police Constable Dean Burnett said a police investigation showed it would appear that Mr Walker had probably misjudged the bend and applied emergency braking. He said that this misjudgment probably led to a loss of control.