TWO men died in a crash on the A36 after a motorcyclist hit a car with such force that it flipped onto its roof, an inquest heard.

Robert Mayall had just left the service station in Codford and was pulling out of the High Street junction onto the A36 in the direction of Warminster when the collision happened.

Steven Lillywhite, riding a red Suzuki GSF, was heading in the opposite direction, towards Salisbury, and as he approached the junction, Mr Mayall, in a silver Toyota Auris, pulled out across his path.

The inquest heard from witnesses who had been overtaken by Mr Lillywhite just before the accident happened at about 6pm on July 22, 2015.

One said Mr Lillywhite overtook him as he indicated and slowed down to turn left towards Codford.

He said the rider was going so fast that the engine “sounded like it was flat-out” and that the bike passed his 4x4 pick-up so closely that he felt he could have put his hand out of the window and touched it.

He told coroner Peter Hatvany that he saw Mr Mayall slow down at the junction, almost stopping, but then believes the 61-year-old saw a gap and pulled out, not seeing the motorbike which was shielded by his own vehicle until it was too late.

Describing the loud bang and explosion of debris, he said the rider had made no attempt to swerve and his brake lights did not come on.

Other witnesses said the motorcyclist had been travelling very quickly and was crossing over the double white lines as he weaved in and out of cars.

Collision investigation officer PC Sharon Little told the court that although the sun was bright and strong at the time, it would not have affected the view Mr Mayall would have had of the approaching motorcycle.

She said Mr Lillywhite was not wearing any fluorescent clothing or using dipped headlights and did not have any daytime running lights and that while Mr Mayall may have seen both the 4x4 pick-up and another 4x4 towing a horsebox, he failed to see the motorcycle.

The inquest heard Mr Lillywhite was thrown through the air and the car ended up on its roof. Both men died at the scene.

Soldiers travelling past stopped to direct traffic while the emergency services were called.

Toxicology tests showed Mr Lillywhite had used cannabis “sometime prior to his death” but the court heard it was not possible to say whether it had affected his reactions.

Recording a verdict of road traffic collision for both men, Mr Hatvany said it was highly likely Mr Lillywhite’s speed was closer to 76mph than the range given in the police report between 50mph and 76mph.

Family members of Mr Lillywhite, a 49-year-old sales assistant from Bulford Camp, and Mr Mayall, an insurance broker from Corton, attended the inquest at which took place at Salisbury Coroner’s Court last Wednesday.