A stunned motorist has told an inquest into the death of a young man how she saw a motorcycle travelling along the road without a rider.

Motorcycle technician Jack Huckle, 20, had been killed after coming off a Triumph Daytona on the A2042 near Ashford.

Helen Seamer told an inquest of the riderless machine: "It was like it was aquaplaning along."

Nobody knew why the accident had happened and nobody else had been involved, the hearing was told.

It was believed Mr Huckle, of Cottington Road, had taken cannabis beforehand - but that was not suggested as a contributory cause, the inquest heard.

Passionate about motorbikes, he had been test riding a Triumph Daytona bike at the time of his death - a machine on which he had previously been working.

An unidentified speeding car at the scene has never been traced, although this was also excluded from having been being involved.

Coroner Rachel Redman recorded a verdict of accidental death, saying: "The police crash investigation unit has been unable to find out why he came off the motorcycle.

"This is as far as we can go. This was a tragic accident in which a young man lost his life."

The crash happened at 10am on Thursday, January 24 on the Ashford-bound carriageway of Romney Marsh Road. Mr Huckle died at the scene.

PC Derek Mole, of Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the motorcycle had hit the central reservation and veered to the nearside barrier.

He said it was not known how the machine had gone out of control, but it was established it had not been in contact with other vehicles.

"This was a tragic accident in which a young man lost his life..." - coroner Rachel Redman

PC Mole told the hearing: "We cannot say how Mr Huckle came off the motorcycle, we don't even know whether he came off from the back or the side."

Witnesses had told of a speeding dark car at the scene, but PC Mole said it was never traced. Nobody had come forward, despite media appeals. The police did not believe the car had been involved in the accident.

PC Mole said Mr Huckle had been travelling at an estimated 57mph, within the road's 70mph limit.

Pathologist Nipin Bagla told the inquest at Folkestone Magistrates' Court that Mr Huckle had died from severe head injuries.

He also revealed Mr Huckle had a small amount of a substance called THC acid in his system, a by-product in the body from consumed cannabis.

Mr Huckle was employed by the Ashford Triumph branch of the Laguna Motorcycles dealers in Kingsnorth.

His mother Dawn, who was at the inquest, did not want to speak after the hearing.

In the aftermath of the accident, she had described her son as "beautiful inside and out".

Mr Huckle had studied at Canterbury College and K College in Dover to become a motor mechanic.

He had only been working for Laguna, which his family described as his "dream job", for four or five months.

Mr Huckle's boss Simon Cope described him as an "energetic, valued and competent" employee.

The youngest of three children, Mr Huckle was a keen musician who played piano, guitar, saxophone and harmonica.

Did you know Jack Huckle? Leave your tributes below.

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