AN elderly driver told of her horror at the moment a toddler toppled from his bike and fell into the road in front of her.

Irene Mills had no time to brake or swerve to avoid five-year-old Ben Cron as he lost

control while cycling on the pavement in Arundel Road, Angmering, an inquest heard.

Despite wearing a protective helmet, the youngster suffered

massive head injuries and was killed instantly.

Mrs Mills, 70, of Shopfield Close, Rustington, told an inquest at Worthing there was nothing she could do as everything happened so quickly.

She said that at one second she could see Ben pedalling on his bike just in front of his mother Amanda, who had his younger brother Frazer in a pushchair, and the next moment he had suddenly disappeared and she realised she had hit him.

She said: "It all happened so quickly. There was nothing I could do. I just wish I could have done something."

Mrs Mills and her friend Irene Ghent, who was in the passenger seat said everything had seemed normal shortly before the tragedy.

The inquest heard that the couple were not talking in the car as Mrs Mills was concentrating on the road ahead, which was clear at the time. Both woman were aware of the trio coming towards them on the pavement and as the car approached Mrs Ghent said she saw Ben's front wheel suddenly twist, the inquest heard.

She said the youngster tried to brake but was unable to control the bike, which had stabilisers, and then a split-second later he had vanished.

The inquest heard after the accident a horrified Mrs Cron rushed to her son, picked him up and carried him a few metres down the road to a nearby taxi rank in a bid to get the youngster to hospital. But it was already too late.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Mrs Cron said Ben had been less than two metres in front of her before his bike seemed to lurch and he fell off into the road.

As she went to help him, he was hit by Mrs Mills' Metro. She said before then she had not been aware of the car approaching and everything happened within seconds.

Passers-by and paramedics tried to revive Ben and he was airlifted to Worthing Hospital but was dead on arrival.

The accident happened on August 4 when Mrs Cron, Ben and Frazer, now 20 months, left the family home in Chantryfield Road, Angmering, to make their way to the Ham Manor golf club to meet a friend.

Traffic accident investigator PC Christopher Burt told the inquest it appeared that one of the stabilisers on Ben's bike had slipped off the kerb as he pedalled along the pavement, which jolted the youngster so he fell headfirst into the road.

Coroner Roger Stone said it was clear no blame could be attached to anyone. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

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