14-year-old cyclist died after collision in Leeds: Inquest opens after death of Charlie Fox

A TEENAGER who was cycling with two friends suffered a fatal head injury when he was struck by a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction on a road in Leeds, an inquest opening heard.
Charlie FoxCharlie Fox
Charlie Fox

Charlie Fox, 14, and two 15-year-old boys he was cycling with were hit by a van on Bullerthorpe Lane at Colton last month.

Assistant Coroner Jonathan Leach told the inquest opening at Wakefield Coroner's Court: "At around 7.20pm on Monday October 22, the deceased with two friends was cycling along

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Bullerthorpe Lane from Colton towards Oulton when a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction struck the deceased."

Mr Leach said Charlie, from Seacroft, was taken to Leeds General Infirmary, where he was pronounced dead at 11.30pm that night.

The inquest opening was told a post mortem was carried out and preliminary results showed Charlie died of a head injury due to a road traffic collision.

Mr Leach adjourned the inquest pending the outcome of further enquiries.

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One of the injured 15-year-old boys was treated in hospital for serious but not life-threatening injuries.

The other 15-year-old boy suffered minor injuries.

The driver of the van, a 28-year-old man from Castleford, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

He has since been released under investigation..

Police said they believed the van, a white Mercedes Sprinter that was heading towards Colton, had been overtaking a white Volkswagen Polo at the time of the crash, with the two vehicles also colliding.

Both vehicles and drivers remained at the scene.

It is the second death of a teenager on Bullerthorpe Lane in three years. Amelia Hope Wake, a 14-year-old schoolgirl from Rothwell, died in 2016 after being struck by a car as she tried to

cross the road.