A MOTORCYCLIST died after he came off his bike, while speeding, straight into the path of an oncoming car.

An inquest detailed how Stuart Miller was attempting to overtake a lorry on the A56 Manchester Road at Broadheath on May 5, 2011 when he applied his emergency brakes.

Stockport Coroner's Court heard on Friday how the 58-year-old, from Bowdon, then flew off his motorbike into the opposite carriageway.

It was at that moment that the father-of-four collided with a Corsa coming in the other direction. Sgt Ian Turner, who directed the investigation for the road policing unit, said: "Witnesses described Mr Miller as ‘losing control of the bike in the blink of an eye’.

“Once he was dislodged from his bike, he went straight into the path of the Corsa.”

PC Paul Standish, of the serious collision investigation unit, told the inquest Mr Miller, a former motorcycling instructor, had been travelling between 43 and 47mph along a road with a 30mph speed limit.

Witnesses and police confirmed that Mr Miller and his Honda made no contact with the lorry during the accident and that they had no idea why he had braked so sharply.

CCTV images were also unable to reveal why Mr Miller, a grandfather-of-two, might have applied his emergency brakes.

Mr Miller’s helmet came off because of the force of the accident, the inquest was told, and ricocheted againt the Scania lorry.

Mr Miller, of Richmond Road, was on his regular route to work as a sales assistant when the acciden happened at 8.26am.

The weather was fair but the road surface was wet from recent rain.

The cause of death was recorded as a head injury. Coroner Joanne Kearsley gave a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Miller’s wife Denise Miller said: “Stuart always loved motorbikes and I could never envisage him without one.

“Ours was a house full of laughter and animals. He was a big man in every way, of stature and of heart.

“He was well-liked and respected by all who knew him.”