A father died of a severe head injury after falling off a rental bicycle at Center Parcs while not wearing a helmet as his daughter watched in horror, an inquest heard.

Kieran Killeen-McGuirk tumbled from the bike on a steep hill after enjoying a meal and glass of wine at the resort to celebrate his wife's 50th birthday.

The 53-year-old gas engineer's head smashed into the tarmac path and blood began seeping from his nose, ears and mouth, the hearing was told.

Mr Killeen-McGuirk, leaves behind widow Esteller and daughter Reanna Price who watched horrified as her father's bike 'came out from underneath him' on the wet path at Center Parcs' Longleat Forest site, in Warminster.

It is not compulsory for Center Parcs' guests to wear helmets although it is 'strongly recommended' both when booking and upon arrival at their complexes, the hearing was told.

On Wednesday at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court, in Salisbury, area coroner Ian Singleton concluded a verdict of accidental death.

The family's Center Parcs trip had been organised as a surprise for Mrs Killeen-McGuirk's 50th, by her step-daughter Ms Price.

In Mrs Killeen-McGuirk's statement, she said that when they arrived at Center Parcs' and collected their bikes there was no offer of a bike helmet.

That evening, the family group - which included Mrs Killeen-McGuirk's parents - went to dinner at 6pm in the main plaza, before leaving around 8.30pm, when they started to make their way back to their lodges.

Mr Killeen-McGuirk's daughter, Ms Price, said her father had drunk a Coors Light and a glass of red wine with his dinner before the family began heading back.

She told the hearing: "It was wet as it had been raining.

"He was travelling at a moderate speed. Just over halfway down the hill all of a sudden his bike came out from underneath him.

"His face hit the floor first and he rolled over twice."

Ms Price recounted going over to her dad, who was already unconscious and 'like he was being sick but it wasn't food'.

"It was like a river of blood coming out of his ears, nose and mouth."

Mrs Killeen-McGuirk told the hearing they had been to Center Parcs on 'numerous occasions' and 'never, ever' been offered a helmet.

In her witness statement which was read out, she said her husband died after the crash on the very first evening of their holiday after going for a meal.

"We slowly cycled back, it was starting to get dark," she said.

"And then I saw people running towards an incident. I saw Reanna who said 'it's dad, he's come off his bike'.

"I could see him lying on the floor, a stream of blood forming, running down the hill.

"I knew within minutes my husband was dying in front of me.

"He'd ridden a bike since he was a tot and was as fit as a fiddle - I find it very difficult to believe he could have fallen."

Sarah Deverill, the site's Village Director, told the inquest that while they 'strongly recommend' helmets are worn by guests, it is 'not compulsory' because it is not a legal requirement in the Highway Code.

She said upon booking, guests are recommended to add helmets, as well as advisory information being sent before arrival and 'prominent' signage displayed in bike sheds and across the park, with 'buckets' of helmets in bike sheds.

Ms Deverill told the hearing the incident took place on a 'no cycling hill' - which is labelled as such because of the hill's 'steep gradient'.

The hill had signage in place at the time and it was also illustrated on a site map that it was not to be cycled down, it was heard.

The inquest was shown footage of Mr Killeen-McGuirk after the meal just minutes before the incident, which showed him 'topple from his bike'.

A post mortem examination showed Mr Killeen-McGuirk had died from a severe head injury caused by falling from his bike.

The court heard an inspection of the pedal bike he had been riding during the crash found 'no mechanical defect'.

Concluding the inquest, Mr Singleton said: "Mr Killeen-McGuirk was seen riding down a steep hill on a bike he had hired without a helmet.

"The route had a number of signs indicating it was not to be used by cyclists.

"He sustained a serious head injury but it remains unclear as to what caused him to fall."

Mr Singleton recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Singleton offered his 'very sincere condolences' to Mr Killeen-McGuirk's family.