A BIKE fanatic died when his Suzuki motorbike collided with a car setting off on a school run, an inquest heard.

Stephen Fairley, 39, of Royds Street, Accrington, was on his way to work when his bike collided with a Peugeot 206 driven by Janet Baker in Accrington Road, Hapton. Mrs Baker was pulling out of the driveway of her house in Accrington Road to take her young son to school in Burnley when the accident happened in June.

As she pulled into the middle of the road, Mr Fairley came round a bend behind her and was thrown from his bike as he tried to break and avoid colliding with back of the car.

He received serious multiple injuries and died.

Mr Fairley was on his way to Poundland in Burnley, where he worked as a security guard, when the accident happened.

Mrs Baker told the inquest: "There was nothing there when I pulled out and I didn't hear anything. But then I looked back and I saw the bike coming. I tried to get out of his way."

Accident investigator PC Richard Roberts said Mr Fairley was probably riding at between 54mph and 68mph on the road, which has a 60mph national speed limit.

He said the bike would have been out of Mrs Baker's sight when she started to pull out of her driveway.

Stephen's funeral at Accrington Cemetery was attended by 20 of his fellow bikers. He had been married to Anne-Marie, 37, who has worked for Hyndburn Council for 17 years. They had no children.

He was due to be best man at his sister Susan's wedding soon after the fatal crash. Mr Fairley had owned the GSXR 1100 Suzuki bike for 17 years and maintained it meticulously.

Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: "Mr Fairley was an experienced driver, the road was quiet, the surface was good and the weather was fine.

"Mrs Baker was emerging from her drive when she realised the bike was coming and, although she tried to get out of the way, tragically it was not sufficient to allow the bike to avoid a collision."