A CYCLIST died after he was in collision with a lorry on the A19, a court has been told.

Paul Dove is accused of driving without due care and attention after the incident just after 7am on Monday, January 23 last year in which Christopher Griffiths died.

Mr Dove, 55, denies the charge at Teesside Crown Court.

Jurors were told that Mr Dove accepts that he saw the cyclist's fluorescent jacket,  but did not have time to avoid him.

Mr Griffiths, 50, from Wynyard, near Stockton, had been cycling to work along the dual carriageway before the accident.

Outlining the case today (Monday) Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said that in police interview, the defendant accepted he was running late on the morning of the collision on the A19 southbound close to Billingham on Teesside.

Mr Cleasby told the jury that the defendant told police officers how he saw a flash on the road about 20ft from him, thought to be Christopher Griffiths' high visibility jacket, but failed to see the cyclist or his bike.

The court heard that Mr Dove was unable to give an explanation of how he hit Mr Griffiths, but told officers that the cyclist was off his bike at the time of the collision.

Mr Cleasby said: “Either Mr Dove failed to see the cyclist because he was not paying sufficient attention or he did see him, but failed to afford him sufficient space on the carriageway.”

Mr Dove, of Aldwych Square, Farringdon, Sunderland, denies the charge.

The trial is due to resume at 10.45am tomorrow morning (Tuesday).