A TEENAGE cyclist who died following a collision with a car was riding on the wrong side of the road, an inquest heard.Darryl John Manchett, was out riding with a group of friends on July 25 when he was knocked off his bicycle approaching a blind

A TEENAGE cyclist who died following a collision with a car was riding on the wrong side of the road, an inquest heard.

Darryl John Manchett, was out riding with a group of friends on July 25 when he was knocked off his bicycle approaching a blind bend.

The 15-year-old was rushed to the hospital but died as a result of head injuries sustained in the accident at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge on July 26.

The inquest, held in Cambridge on Thursday (Oct 15), heard that 15-year-old Darryl and a group of nine friends had decided to set out on a bike ride at around 8.45pm.

The group were travelling along Church Street in the small village of Wentworth when Darryl and his girlfriend drifted towards the back of the group.

The inquest heard that several of Darryl's friends further along in the group had began to slow down after seeing a black Hyundai vehicle approaching a bend but they noticed that Darryl had drifted over to the opposite side of the road.

Though friends shouted at Darryl to be aware of the oncoming car, their warnings came too late and the 15-year-old was hit head-on by the car.

A statement read out at the inquest on behalf of the driver of the vehicle, a 21-year-old woman from Grunty Fen, said: "I was travelling at around 35mph when I approached the bend as I always approach bends with caution and I saw a large group of youngsters who were riding bikes.

"As I got closer to the group I noticed that most of them were at the side of the road but a few of them were in the middle.

"As I rounded the corner I noticed a boy riding straight towards me, I tried to brake and swerve away from him but he went onto my bonnet and my car ended up on the grass verge."

PC David Paul, collision investigator for Cambridgeshire Police, confirmed at the inquest that both vehicles were in a good working order and that the conditions on the road that evening were good.

PC Paul also noted that the Darryl had been riding on the wrong side of the road making it difficult for him or the driver to have seen each other in sufficient time.

Coroner for South and West Cambridgeshire David Morris, said: "Any sudden death is always tragic and saddening but it is especially so in the case of one as young as Darryl.