Motorcyclist killed after pheasant flies into his helmet in million-to-one freak accident
A motorcyclist died in a million-to-one accident after an airborne pheasant crashed into his helmet causing him to lose control, an inquest has heard.
Ian Bottomley, 52, was on a 60mph road when the bird smashed into his head, causing him to swerve into an embankment and come off his bike.
David Farraday, who was first on the scene told the inquest he found Mr Bottomley lying motionless in the road.
Ian Bottomley was killed after a flying pheasant struck his crash helmet in a million-to-one accident
He said: 'There was a bike and still a lot of dust coming up, then I saw Mr Bottomley in the road. The bike was a fair distance from Mr Bottomley.'
Mr Bottomley, a metallurgist and a father-of-two from Preston, Lancashire, crashed on the A683 near Lancaster.
The inquest heard he had been travelling between 67mph and 77mph on a road with a maximum speed of 60mph but that speed was not a factor in the accident.
PC Rachel Killinger said officers soon noticed the pheasant after its body was pointed out by a member of the public.
'There were feathers around Mr Bottomley and certainly some on his helmet,' she said.
His widow Ann paid tribute to her husband and said: 'A one in a million accident took a one in a million man - he was fantastic.'
Specialist accident investigation officer, PC Adrian Harrison, told the Preston Inquest there were no defects on the road and the vehicle was in good condition.
He added: 'He would have had absolutely no chance to do anything. A pheasant is a large bird and if it hits a car it can do a lot of damage.
'It was definitely airborne. My opinion is it was flying and it was coming from one side. Instinctively there is a good chance he has flinched and tried to move.'
Recording a verdict of accidental death, assistant deputy Preston coroner, Derek Baker, said: 'This could not have been anticipated, nothing could have been done to prevent it. This was a pure accident.'
A large pheasant, which is similar in size to this, crashed into Mr Bottomley's helmet
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