A CORONER said there was "no evidence" that a young driver was holding a mobile phone when her car fatally collided with a motorcyclist.

Bradley Taylor, 32, was killed when his Kawasaki Z6-XR crashed into a red Citroen c1 driven by Mia McKenna on Ferry Road in Eastham on June 16 2018.

The welder, who worked at Jaguar Land Rover Halewood, was catapulted from his bike before hitting a brick wall and dying at the scene from multiple injuries.

Ms McKenna, who had only been driving for three months, had just attended a job interview at popular bikers' pub The Tap, when the incident occurred as she turned right from Ferry Road into Torr Drive at around 5.45pm on what was a sunny Saturday evening.

She told the inquest the road was "totally clear" as she began the manoeuvre and maintained she did not see the father of one as he drove towards her in the northbound lane on his way to take part in a 'white collar' boxing bout.

One witness told the inquest that he had seen Ms McKenna talking into her mobile phone as she exited the car park to The Eastham Ferry Hotel moments before the incident took place.

Another witness said he had been approached by Ms McKenna after the crash and said she was holding a mobile phone although neither witness could say if she was holding it when she collided with Mr Taylor.

Ms McKenna admitted that she had been speaking on the mobile phone to her aunt at the time of incident but insisted she was using the device hands free.

She had been charged with causing death by careless driving and appeared in Liverpool Crown Court in January this year but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) offered no evidence and she was found not guilty.

The inquest heard that a toxicology report revealed that Mr Taylor, of Dearnford Avenue, Bromborough, had recently used cannabis but neither he or Ms McKenna had drunk alcohol.

Stephen Green, a consultant forensic collision investigator instructed by Ms McKenna's legal team, told the court he believed Mr Taylor had been travelling in excess of 50mph on the 30mph road due to the catastrophic damage caused to the motorbike, which was "almost broken in two".

Sgt Simon Cowburn, who investigated the incident for Merseyside Police, described the crash as a "high energy collision" and said he thought Mr Taylor would have been driving at a speed of at least 35mph.

He added that a canopy of trees overlooking the road had created a shadowed area which would have made it extremely difficult to see the keen boxer and his bike describing the driver as effectively "camouflaged" to Ms McKenna.

On the second day of the inquest held at Gerard Majella Courthouse, Kirkdale, Anita Bhardwaj, area coroner for Liverpool and Wirral, described the incident in her conclusion as a "tragic road traffic collision".

She said: "The evidence is clear that the driver of the Citroen was using a mobile phone, however, the evidence from the driver was that it was being used hands free.

"Despite there being an independent witness stating the driver was using the phone whilst holding it in her hand in the Eastham car park, there is no evidence to suggest the phone was not on hands free whilst the car was being driven on Ferry Road. The Court found the driver’s evidence to be credible."

Recording the cause of Mr Taylor's death as "multiple injuries", Ms Bhardwaj said that while he had used cannabis, it was "impossible" to know what effect it had on him or his driving.

"Overall, the Court finds it is more likely than not the main contributory factor to the collision was the fact that Bradley was being camouflaged by the umbrella of trees on Ferry Road, and this taken together with the fact that he was driving at excess speed and wore dark clothing has reduced the opportunity of him being seen."

Ms Bhardwaj concluded proceedings by asking Sgt Cowburn if any changes had been made to Ferry Road since the incident with the officer adding that a 'SLOW' marking had been painted on the road surface along with improved markings at the junction with Torr Drive.