A MOTORCYCLIST was thrown from his bike before colliding with a car attempting a u-turn on a dual carriageway, a coroner's Court was told.

Allun Rockett, 25, of Burley-in-Wharfedale, died of multiple injuries when his Kawasaki motorcycle was in collision with a silver Rover 400, driven by 73-year-old Alan Wood, of York.

The young man was driving along the A660 Otley bypass towards Burley, at around 3pm, on May 6.

His cousin, Philip Rockett, was travelling closely behind on his Honda motorcycle.

Mr Wood had parked his Rover in a lay-by, not far onto the bypass, having lost his way to Otley Chevin.

Realising he was travelling in the wrong direction, Mr Wood, who was accompanied by his wife, daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, pulled out to make a U-turn.

He was half way across the dual carriageway when he collided with Mr Rockett.

Mr Rockett, a double glazing fitter, of Aireville Terrace, braked so hard in trying to avoid a collision his wheels locked and smoked and the force threw him from his bike, which collided with Mr Wood's car.

Mr Rockett then collided with the car himself before landing in the middle of the road.

He was attended first by a passer by trained in first aid and a nurse and then paramedics from West Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

They were unable to save him and Mr Rockett was pronounced dead at the scene, at 3.18pm.

Philip Rockett told how the pair had ridden together to Otley to see a mutual friend, Christopher Platt, at around 2.40pm.

Finding Mr Platt was not at home, the men circled Otley before Allun Rockett intimated that his cousin should follow him and headed back to Burley, along the A660.

Mr Rockett confirmed his original police statement that when he first saw the silver car it was stationary.

Coroner David Hinchliff put to him: "You said that as you got much closer to the lay-by you suddenly saw a silver Rover car had pulled out and you could see the driver's side of the Rover and you could only describe its position as being right across the lane you were travelling in."

Two witnesses at the scene, whose statements were accepted as documentary evidence, claimed the motorcyclists were travelling at speeds of up to 100mph.

Christopher Thompson, who was travelling towards Burley with his daughter Amy, 17, said: "I was overtaken by two large motorcycles and this had really taken me by surprise. I hadn't seen them coming up behind me at all.

"They were travelling at speed and from engine noise, it seemed revving hard and I would say accelerating.

"When the motorcyclists overtook me, I would say my own speed would have been 50mph. If I had to, I would say their speed was as much as double mine."

John Rennison, who was travelling in the opposite direction, said: "I passed a silver car on my right. As soon as I saw the motorcycle I could judge it was travelling at a really fast speed and was making ground along the road rapidly.

"I remember seeing the bike and thinking, 'he's travelling' and then straight away I realised he was in trouble. It was like he was taking some action to take the speed off.

"There was a very loud bang as the motorcyclist collided with the silver car. The silver car had without a doubt pulled out of the lay by I believe the driver was possibly carrying out a U-turn."

In his statement, Mr Wood said he had checked in his rear view mirror and his side mirror before effecting the U-turn.

His son-in-law, Robert Brown, also gave evidence and said he had not heard the approach of motorcycles before Mr Wood pulled out and said nothing in Mr Wood's driving that day had given him cause for concern.

PC Jeffrey Norman, of Weetwood Police Station, said Mr Wood passed an eyesight test and that investigations had failed to reveal the speed at which the motorcyclists were travelling.

Mr Hinchliff, sitting at Leeds Coroners Court, recorded a verdict of accidental death. Mr Wood will appear at Leeds Magistrates Court on Friday, charged with driving without due care and attention.