A GREAT-grandfather with a lifelong passion or motorcycling was involved in a fatal crash with a car as he rode along a narrow country road he used regularly, an inquest has heard.

Eric Winn, 72, first began riding motorbikes aged 16 and spent nearly six decades of his life exploring the North-East countryside on his travels from his Stanley home in County Durham.

The former factory worker had taken his beloved Suzuki GSF 1200 Bandit out with a friend at around 9am on August 24 last year and travelled to the village of Woodland, between Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle.

Teesside Coroner’s Court heard yesterday that Mr Winn tried to overtake a Mazda 3 TS as it was turning right into an unsigned entrance to Hamsterley Forest off an unnamed road between Windy Bank Road and the B6282.

The Northern Echo: The fatal crash happened on an unnamed road between Windy Bank Road and the B6282 near the village of Woodland, between Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle, County Durham

The fatal crash happened on an unnamed road between Windy Bank Road and the B6282 near the village of Woodland, between Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle, County Durham

The driver of car was uninjured in the incident at 10.40am, however Mr Winn sustained fatal chest injuries and was airlifted to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where he died shortly after arrival.

The court sitting in Middlesbrough heard that it could not be proven if the driver of the Mazda had indicated before manoeuvring when the car and bike would have been travelling at speeds “well below” the 60mph speed limit.

Senior investigating officer PC Andrew Wells, of Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, recommended to acting senior coroner for Teesside, Clare Bailey, that improved signage at the concealed junction could avoid future incidents.

PC Wells said: “There are a lack of signs in the area and if this can be avoided in the future then surely the council should be making these adjustments.”

Speaking to Dave Lewin, Durham County Council traffic management section manager, Ms Bailey said: “An officer with over a decade’s worth of experience has gone to the extra lengths of bringing something to my attention – it’s not usual for an officer to do that.”

“I’m looking for assurance that a warning sign will be placed there.”

Mr Lewin said that give way road markings had been repainted on the road and markings to slow down drivers had been added.

Warning signs of the concealed junction will now be erected within a month.

Ms Bailey concluded that Mr Winn’s death was caused by a road traffic collision.