Tragedy of Gaywood motorcyclist who died days before proposing to girlfriend

An inquest into the death of a 21-year-old motocyclist who died at South Runcton heard a car pulled out in front of him "leaving him nowhere to go".

Zach Futter, of Gaywood, was riding his Honda on the A10 when it was in collision with a Ford Focus at the junction with School Road.

Witnesses described how the driver of the Focus failed to see the bike as she turned out into the road.

A statement from Simon Foster, the driver of the car behind Mr Futter’s motocycle said the biker had waved an acknowledgement as he pulled over to let him past on a misty early morning on January 13, 2020 at about 5.20.

Mr Foster said the red Ford had turned towards Downham into the path of the bike. “He had nowhere to go,” said Mr Foster, “he went across the bonnet.”

Mr Foster said the driver of the car opened the door and “fell to her knees in floods of tears” while he called 999.

“I believe she must have seen my car but not the motorcyclist,” said Mr Foster, who said the bike did have its headlamp on.

Carole Mitchell, who arrived after the accident had happened, had gone to see to the welfare of the Ford Focus driver who was “hysterical”.

Her statement said: “She was repeating ‘I did not see him, I did not see him. What have I done? What have I done?’”

Other motorists and people from nearby houses had attempted to give Zach CPR but a statement from the paramedics said he was dead by the time the ambulance arrived.

Zach’s father, Mark Futter, of Sandringham Road, Gaywood, said in a statement that he had been left devastated by his son’s death.

He said Zach was one of his six sons but he would never get over his loss.

“They are all fantastic sons but one of them will remain 21 forever. It is hard to put into words how you lose your son,” his statement said.

Mr Futter said Zach had always loved animals and worked at Vets4pets, in Lynn as a veterinary nurse. He was due to qualify this year.

The inquest heard the medical cause of death was a haemorrhage and Johanna Thompson, assistant coroner for Norfolk, concluded Mr Futter’s cause of death was a road traffic collision.