A TEENAGE motorcyclist was killed after colliding head-on with a car that was overtaking another vehicle.

Seventeen-year-old Ben Patterson, of Castlemorton, near Malvern, was travelling on the B4208 towards Hanley Swan when the accident happened at Garrets Bank at Welland.

He died later that day in Worcestershire Royal Hospital from shock and multiple injuries.

An inquest into his death, concluded on Wednesday, heard how the driver of the other vehicle, a Fiat Punto, had been contemplating overtaking a car in front, and had pulled out to check if the road was clear, when the collision happened.

The driver, Steve Newcombe, has since been charged with careless driving and is due to appear at Worcester Magistrates' Court on Thursday, April 7.

Giving evidence at the inquest, PC Ian Burgess, the officer who attended the accident, said he had spoken to Mr Newcombe at the scene.

"Mr Newcombe said he was overtaking and did not see the motorbike," he said. "He said it did not have any lights on."

The inquest heard how there was a dispute over whether Ben, who was one of four children, had had his lights on when the accident happened at about 7.30am on Friday, February 6, last year.

A forensic scientist said probably not but could not be certain.

Another driver on the road that morning said he had passed a motorbike shortly before the accident, which did not have its lights on, but could not be sure if it was Ben.

Ben, a carpenter, had been a pupil at Hanley Castle High School. He had bought the motorbike from a friend shortly before the fatal crash.

Deputy coroner Tim Sherwood recorded a verdict of accidental death.