Mary HamiltonThe death of a motorcyclist at Snetterton racetrack was accidental, an inquest jury ruled yesterday.Mary Hamilton

The death of a motorcyclist at Snetterton racetrack was accidental, an inquest jury ruled yesterday.

Richard Slater, from Rainhill, in Merseyside, was 49 when he died from head injuries sustained in the crash at an endurance racing event on August 19 last year.

He was killed shortly after crossing the finish line and entering high-speed Riches corner at about 130mph at the first practice event of the day at about 9.15am. He swerved to the right before coming off the track and crashing into a steel safety barrier.

Summing up the evidence heard over the course of the two-day inquest, Jacqueline Lake, deputy coroner for Greater Norfolk, said: 'We have heard evidence that there were no deficiencies with the track and no dust or debris on the track.

'Although the safety barrier was built to protect competitors from the effects of a lateral collision, we have heard that it offered little protection to a competitor landing on it from above if they were unseated or high-sided, as happened in this case.'

CCTV camera footage played on Tuesday showed fellow rider Nicholas Matthews overtaking Mr Slater's bike on the outside shortly after crossing the start/finish line.

The video showed that he then moved back over to the inside to take a racing line, moving directly in front of Mr Slater's bike at the approach to Riches corner, the first right-hand turn of the track.

A pathologist's report concluded that Mr Slater's death was caused by head injuries sustained in the collision, and that he was fit, healthy and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he died.

A statement from PC Simon Hall was read out saying that a vehicle examination found nothing wrong with the Honda motorcycle Mr Slater was riding, and no evidence of a collision with Mr Matthews' bike.

Mr Matthews told the jury that after viewing the CCTV footage he would not have ridden any differently, and Colin Armes, who has been a race steward for 50 years, said neither rider did anything untoward.

Leigh Chant, health and safety officer for Breckland District Council, said the council was satisfied with the safety checks and procedures in place at Snetterton, and that it would not be pursuing any action against any of the parties involved.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.