A salewoman was not looking when she drove into the back of a moped killing the 16-year-old rider, an inquest heard.

Suzanne Simmons' "inattentiveness" caused the crash which killed Joshua Skinner on the flyover section of the A27 at Shoreham, said police crash investigator PC Simon Lane.

The inquest at Worthing Town Hall heard Mrs Simmons' Volkswagen Golf careered into the back of Joshua's 30mph Peugeot scooter as they both headed westbound just before 11pm on October 10 last year.

Joshua, a student at Chichester College, was heading to his home in White Styles Road, Sompting, after a shift at McDonald's in Holmbush, where he had a part-time job.

In a statement read to the inquest by Inspector Mark Trimmer, Mrs Simmons said she was driving at 65 to 70mph when she was suddenly aware of something hitting her windscreen with a loud bang.

She said: "Initially I thought somebody had thrown something off a bridge and it had hit me."

Mrs Simmons only realised it was a motorcyclist when she got out of the car and saw Joshua lying by the side of the road.

She said: "This accident has left me thoroughly distressed and I am greatly saddened by his death."

PC Lane said tests showed the moped's rear light was working and switched on at the point of collision. There were reflective strips at the back of the bike.

He said: "Regardless of whether the lights were working, if Mrs Simmons was looking ahead then she would have seen the moped.

"If the lights were off, the bike would have been in view for at least two seconds and, with the lights working, much longer.

"Mrs Simmons was unlikely to be looking ahead, with her inattentiveness being the cause of the collision."

A post-mortem examination revealed Joshua died from massive head injuries. His crash helmet was thrown off by the force of the collision.

His mother Paula, 43, said she bought the bike from a police officer as a 16th birthday present. Although Joshua used the bike every day, he usually avoided the A27, sometimes using it if the traffic was light.

After the hearing, Insp Trimmer said no action had been taken against Mrs Simmons but she could face charges of driving without due care and attention.

West Sussex Coroner Roger Stone recorded a verdict of accidental death.