A MOTORCYCLIST died in a high speed crash in Hampshire after he had failed to see a sign warning him of a junction because it was hidden by foliage.

Biker Zane Boddy was driving at 85 miles-an-hour shortly before the accident.

But an inquest heard he missed a vital sign warning of an upcoming junction because it may have been covered.

Instead he failed to stop in time, lost control, went on to a grass verge, struck a road sign and was thrown from his motorbike.

The 36-year-old was riding along Corhampton Lane towards the junction with the B3035 near Bishop's Waltham, the inquest was told.

Despite the best efforts of his brother-in-law Paul Baverey, who was riding with him, and medics, Mr Boddy died at the scene from multiple injuries.

The inquest heard Mr Boddy, from Broadlands Avenue, Eastleigh, was riding his blue Kawasaki ZX9R behind Mr Baverey and the pair were heading for Loomies Cafe in West Meon.

Mr Baverey told the hearing that Mr Boddy had owned the bike for around three weeks and was not familiar with the road.

He told the inquest he had stopped at the junction and watched Mr Boddy coming up it.

"I was looking in my side mirror when I saw Zane, his approach was fine I thought, maybe he was going a bit too quick into the corner I realised he was not slowing down as quickly as I expected," said Mr Baverey.

"Perhaps not knowing the road he did not realise there was a T junction."

The inquest saw video evidence from a helmet camera worn by Mr Boddy.

It showed Mr Boddy reaching 85mph as he overtook a car several hundred metres before the junction but by the time he came to the junction he had slammed on the brakes and was travelling at 55mph.

Crash investigator for Hampshire Police Andrew McDonnell said a junction sign was covered with vegetation and the give way sign at the junction was not upright.

PC McDonnell said: "He has failed to appreciate the presence of the junction, the signs were not in a well maintained condition.

"What is certain is as the junction came into view he braked and in doing so went into the nearside verge and his bike collided with the sign post."

Senior coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Short said: "He was riding at high-speed above the national speed limit but not in a manner that strikes me as dangerous, it was a controlled overtake that we witnessed. However, it was critical that the position of the overtake was relative to the junction.

"It does not appear he was aware of the junction and the give way."

"It is relevant that the sign was overgrown with foliage it was therefore less apparent that there was a junction, and there was no give way sign at the junction itself."

After the hearing Mr Baverey from Eastleigh said said he had spoke to Hampshire County Council about the upkeep of the signs at the junction.

Councillor Rob Humby, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council said: “I was very sorry to hear of this accident and my thoughts are with the family and friends of Zane Boddy.

“We work very closely with Hampshire Constabulary on driver safety awareness, and support the Bike Safe campaign to help motorcyclists improve their skills, knowledge and hazard awareness.

“We hadn’t had any reports of damaged or covered signs here and would certainly have ensured signs were repaired or replaced by our contractor in line with our service priorities.

"As with any accident, we reviewed the site and can confirm that there are road markings in place which highlight the junction.”