BRADFORD Council is to be asked about the inspections it undertook on a rural road where an “avid and experienced” cyclist tragically died.

An inquest into the death of 75-year-old Tom Gilmore, from Baildon, was opened at Bradford Coroners’ Court yesterday.

He died from injuries he suffered while cycling on Glovershaw Lane, near Eldwick, on April 29.

Coroners’ officer Victoria Normington told the brief hearing that Mr Gilmore was found, having come off his pushbike, and taken to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) where he died on May 1.

His cause of death was given as severe multi-compartmental brain injury.

The inquest heard police have found no suspicious circumstances.

Assistant coroner Ian Pears requested various statements and reports be prepared, including one from Bradford Council “dealing with their responsibility in relation to potholes”.

He said the Council is responsible for examining roads and is to request a report on the inspections which were undertaken before Mr Gilmore’s death.

Mr Pears said this would enable himself and the family to ask any questions which may arise from that.

The inquest was adjourned until September 29 this year.

Mr Gilmore was a father-of-two who had five grandchildren. In a statement issued after his death, his family spoke of how he’d worked as a nurse for more than 40 years.

He had been an avid and experienced cyclist for more than 50 years, they said.

The statement, released through West Yorkshire Police, said: “The family would like to thank the emergency services for their prompt help. 

“In particular, they would like to thank both the team on ward L3 of the Jubilee Wing at LGI for their superb care and the transplant service coordinators’ professionalism, in allowing Tom’s last act of service to others in donating his kidneys. 

“The family would also like to promote people registering on the organ donation site and to talk to close relatives about this registration.”

One tribute from a former colleague of Mr Gilmore’s touched on how he was a “gifted teacher and role model”.

Julie Ferguson said she first met him as a student nurse while on placement in the intensive care unit at Killingbeck Hospital.

She said the world is “poorer for his loss” and added: “I can only say that if I had a family member or friend as a patient under Tom’s supervision,  I would have felt very lucky, and confident they'd receive fantastic care. 

“My thoughts and condolences to his family whom he always spoke lovingly of and with great pride.”