A top City fund manager was knocked down after stepping into the path of a cyclist, an inquest was told today.

Gordon Bancroft, 62, known as Nick, was a year from retirement when the racing bike ploughed into him, yards from his £2 million home in Holland Park.

The Oxford and Stanford-educated investment manager suffered "extensive brain damage" and died three days later in hospital.

The collision happened at about 7.50am last October, minutes after Mr Bancroft left his Queensdale Road house. He walked down St Ann's Road and had begun crossing it when he saw cyclist Rory Mackay heading towards him.

Mr Mackay, a marquee hire manager from Wimbledon, today said he changed direction to avoid Mr Bancroft but the father-of-three rushed back to the pavement in front of his swerving bike. Mr Mackay said that he had been going at 16-18mph. His brakes locked and he skidded into Mr Bancroft.

Mr Mackay dialled 999 but a passing ambulance stopped within two or three minutes and took Mr Bancroft to Charing Cross Hospital,where he died of multiple head injuries. Westminster Coroner Dr Paul Knapman recorded a verdict of traumatic road death. Mr Bancroft's wife Nicola, his son Giles and other family attended court.

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