A SOUTHAMPTON pensioner died of injuries after a collision with a motorcyclist who had passed his test only two days before.

An inquest heard how 86-year-old Ronald Robins, who lived alone on Archery Road, crossed the road near his home and was hit by a motorbike knocking him to the ground and fracturing his skull.

The rider of the Honda sports bike that hit retired Mr Robins, 27-year-old John Hughes, said he had no time to react.

He said: “He came out of nowhere. By the time I saw him, it was happening.

“I tried to swerve right, then left.”

Mr Robins’ daughter, Kay Stables said her father was fit and able, and capable of looking after himself.

A doctor’s report revealed that Mr Robins had been previously been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.

Dr Jeremy Fabian, who performed the post mortem said that there was extensive bleeding within Mr Robin’s brain.

He added that there was also evidence that suggested he may have had un-diagnosed symptom-less Alzheimer’s.

The court heard how the view of the left hand side of the road that Mr Robins emerged from was obscured by two cars and a van.

The inquest was told that it prevented the motorcyclist and Mr Hughes from taking action to avoid each other until it was too late.

Accident investigator PC Antony Clifford said the evidence was consistent with a low speed impact.

He added that Mr Hughes was not under the influence when he hit Mr Robins but telemetric data from a white car following him suggested that he could have reached speeds of 37 miles per hour before the incident.

Mr Robins died as a result of a bleed on the brain caused by the accident at the Countess Mountbatten House on June 19, 12 days after the crash.

Assistant coroner, Karren Harold said: “There was hardly any time for them to react and despite their best efforts they collided with each other.”

Ms Harold concluded that Mr Robins’ death was the result of a road traffic accident.