A motorcyclist who lost control on a bend appeared to drop from his bike in order to avoid crashing into a bus, an inquest heard.

A motorcyclist who lost control on a bend appeared to drop from his bike in order to avoid crashing into a bus, an inquest heard yesterday.

Martin Armour, 41, from Gloucester Street, Norwich, died on the A144 Bungay to Halesworth Road at Ilketshall St John on November 23. He was riding his black 900cc Triumph Trident Sprint when other motorists saw him coming round the bend close to the centre white line with his right knee nearly touching the road.

The inquest in Lowestoft heard a statement from bus driver Alan McDonald, who said he saw a single light coming towards him, close to the white line, and he at first thought it was a car with its nearside headlight out because of its position in the road.

He said: “The driver seemed to look in my direction and drop the bike. It gave the impression that the driver could not make the bend and dropped the bike so as not to drive straight into me. I slammed the brakes so hard I thought my foot was going to go through the floor. My arms were locked on the steering wheel trying to keep the bus to the left.”

Nick Elvin, who was driving behind, said he saw the motorbike approach and thought it was going too fast for the bend, and then the driver “seemed to drop his bike and went onto the road”.

Mr Armour, who has a 10-year-old son, died from injuries to his brain and a broken neck. Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Peter Dean said that the bus driver had been driving safely. “What clearly happened was a very sad accident.”