A seasoned 79-year-old cyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, died after a collision with an HGV, an inquest heard this week.

Robert Cherry, 79, of Cardinal Drive, Walton, suffered a fractured skull when his bike went under an HGV lorry carrying a skip at 7.30am on September 5, 2012.

An inquest heard how HGV driver Mark Hale had seen Mr Cherry cycling in Rydens Drive and took action to avoid him, but could do nothing when he unexpectedly turned into Ambleside Avenue.

Mr Hale told the inquest: “When I am driving, I am very aware what is around me. I saw the cyclist very, very early when I was coming down the road.

“He was the only cyclist that I saw. I made a mental note he was there and eased off slightly and carried on following at a safe distance and then saw he came away from the kerb slightly.

“I gave him a bit more room and no signal was given to me so assumed he would carry on going down the road to Walton.

“I made allowances and he came out further from the kerb. I had to make a split-second decision what to do.

“As I passed the cyclist, he just kept coming. To my knowledge, there was no indication he was going to turn at all.”

Mr Cherry’s daughter, Michaela Hope, said: “He very rarely drove. Every day to day task he did on his bike. He cycled to work all his life. You name it, he would cycle.

“He would never take the car unless he had to. He kept a log of how many miles he did each year.

“He had a knee replacement four or five years ago and within six weeks of the operation he was back on his bike.”

Mrs Hope last saw her father two days before he died.

She said: “He was just lovely. He was always so helpful. Nobody had a bad word to say about him. Every day I miss him.”

Mrs Hope said her father did have a helmet, but did not wear it because it was more of an obstruction and said she believed people came nearer to cyclists if they were wearing helmets.

An examination of the tachograph in the lorry showed that Mr Hale had not exceeded the speed limit along Rydens Road.

Coroner Michael Burgess said Mr Cherry’s death was due to a traumatic intracranial haemorrhage due to a fractured skull and ruled his death an accident.

Laura Woods, from Brake, the road safety charity, said: “Cycle helmets are essential safety gear for all cyclists, and can significantly reduce risk of a serious head injury.

“However, helmets alone aren’t the answer, and it’s vital we also work to reduce the incidence of crashes.”