Biker lost control just before fatal off-road crash
AMOTORBIKE enthusiast from Runcorn died from multiple injuries after losing control while riding off-road, an inquest heard.
Callum Ferns, who was described by friends as the “kindest soul”, had been indulging in his lifelong passion for motorbikes when the accident happened on August 5 last year.
The inquest at Warrington Coroner’s Court heard that Callum had gone out off-road riding at Wigg Island nature reserve in Runcorn around 7pm.
He was taken to Halton Hospital in Runcorn where he died shortly after.
The crash happened close to where the Mersey Gateway bridge passes overhead, with police attending an access road running between the main entrance and the foot of the bridge.
In a statement read out by assistant coroner for Cheshire, Heath Westerman, Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers gave Callum’s cause of death as multiple injuries.
Dr Rodgers said there was no evidence of any underlying health conditions which may have contributed to or resulted in his death.
Dr Rodgers said that toxicologist Elizabeth Wasbrough had found no evidence of consumption of alcohol in Callum’s body but she did find cannabis above the limit for driving, which was consistent with recent use.
He added: “It may well have resulted in him feeling the effects of this at the time of the incident.”
Dr Rodgers said that Callum’s injuries included a number of broken bones with fractures to his spine, and a head injury.
Callum’s father Billy said in a statement read out in court that he and his wife Jane had two sons and a daughter, with Callum being the middle child.
He said Callum was mostly fit and well but he had been born deaf in his left ear and partially deaf in his right ear.
He also had a displaced kidney and was described as being accident prone, with a number of injuries sustained while he was growing up.
Callum, who was a spot welder by trade, had got a job with a marine engineering company after impressing the firm where he did work experience at the age of 15.
Mr Ferns said he and his wife had been called to the scene of the accident last summer.
He said that his son’s friends had described Callum as having an “excellent ability” for riding motorbikes. On the day of the accident Callum had “rushed in, got changed and then went out”.
Mr Ferns added: “Callum was a very special and one-off kind of son, brother, grandson and friend to so many. He had an infectious personality and was loved by all who knew him. About 500 people attended his funeral.
“We are very proud to say that Callum was our son and we have welcomed the support and the sheer volume of kind messages since his passing. We will be forever grateful to everyone.”
Callum’s close friend Allan Campbell said they shared a passion for motorbikes and on the day of the accident Callum had been really excited to go to try Allan’s Yamaha bike, which he was selling to Callum.
They were out with other friends at the nature reserve and were not wearing any helmets or protective clothing.
“The road conditions were wet and potentially slippy due to some rainfall.
Allan, who described Callum as having “no fear” when it came to bikes, said: “We would usually do wheelies when riding together and we would go to Wigg Island a lot. I’m an experienced rider but he was even more experienced than me. He would say ‘you can’t be scared of falling off’ and he was known for his power wheelies.”
Allan added that Callum had ridden down under the Mersey Gateway Bridge and had travelled some distance away and “pretty fast”, estimating his speed to have been at 80-90 mph, when he did a wheelie. He appeared to wobble and his back wheel must have hit a bump.
“Then I couldn’t see him. He disappeared into the trees,” said Allan.
The friends got on their bikes and rode to Callum to help him, finding him behind a tree and seeing that the bike was badly damaged.
He added: “When I saw the bike my heart stopped. I knew it was going to be bad.”
Pc Harris, from Cheshire Constabulary, said he had looked at CCTV and had liaised with the vehicle examiner and it was not possible to confirm the speed at which Callum was travelling when the impact happened.
Callum had applied the brakes prior to colliding with the blue pole barrier but he lost control and collided with the barrier.
Assistant coroner for Cheshire, Heath Westerman, said: “I will record and accept the medical cause of death given as multiple injuries and will further record that he died on August 5, 2021, at Halton Hospital due to the unsurvivable injuries he sustained.”
Mr Westerman added: “My conclusion will therefore be that of accidental death. I offer my sincere condolences to a large group of family, friends and relatives.”
‘When I saw the bike my heart stopped’