THE motorcycle being ridden by a young Stourport man when he crashed and died is still missing, an inquest heard.

The bike being ridden by Kieran O’Sullivan disappeared moments after he was killed on the town’s Bewdley Road at about 6.30pm on August 15.

His mother Laurie told Worcestershire Coroner’s Court that the 21-year-old had borrowed the bike on trial and had taken it for a test ride a short distance from his home in Linden Avenue when the crash happened.

She said he had contacted the owner to arrange for it to be collected after she told him he could not keep it.

Witness Susan Limmage told the inquest yesterday that she had picked up her husband Anthony from the Brinton Arms pub and was waiting to pull out of its car park when she was passed by a car being followed by a motorbike travelling in the direction of Bewdley.

She said she heard a scraping noise and when she looked around, she saw the motorcyclist on the road.

Mrs Limmage said: “My husband jumped out to help and I pulled my car in front of where the young man was lying to protect him.” Worcestershire Coroner Geraint Williams questioned her about a statement she gave two days after the crash where she described seeing four or five males at the scene in the immediate aftermath. But she said she had no recollection of anyone else being present, nor of Mr O’Sullivan’s 17-year-old brother Brendan being the first on the scene.

A nine-page report from crash scene investigator Timothy Tritton noted two scuff marks on the road and scrape marks. No other vehicles were involved.

The pub’s CCTV showed him travelling at an estimated speed of 50mph to 60mph in the 30mph zone.

A post mortem examination determined Mr O’Sullivan died from significant head injuries. Mr Williams recorded a verdict of accidental death.