A FATHER-of-four who died after his bicycle was in collision with a car was five times over the legal drink drive limit at the time of the crash, an inquest heard.

Handyman Piotr Kobiela suffered head injuries and died a month after the accident at St Leonards, district coroner Sheriff Payne was told.

The inquest held in Bournemouth heard Polish national Mr Kobiela was cycling along the south-westbound carriageway of the A31 just after 5.30pm on October 27 last year when he was in collision with a Nissan Terrano, which was travelling in the same direction.

Engineer Terence Phillips, who was driving the Nissan, told the inquest Mr Kobiela’s bike veered in front of his vehicle.

“The guy seemed to wobble – I swerved to the right but just caught him,” he said.

Witness Keith Rogers, who was travelling in another vehicle, said: “The whole thing was over in the blink of an eye – it was very quick.”

The coroner was told Mr Kobiela had lived in the UK for five years but his family remained in Poland. He worked at Tall Trees Caravan Park in Matchams and lived there in a shed.

Tests revealed a blood alcohol level of 402, which is five times the legal limit of 80. The cause of death was given as bronchial pneumonia due to severe brain injury.

Recording his verdict, Mr Payne said the level of alcohol “must have had an effect upon a person on a bike.”

He added: “It is my view that it was Mr Kobiela who deviated from his course.”