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John Parsons' wife Myra had not wanted him to have a motorbike
A 71-year-old man died from excitement the first time he went out on his new motorcycle, says a coroner.
John Parsons, a retired engineer from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, suffered a heart attack on his 125cc Honda and fell into the path of an oncoming car.

The bike was delivered the day before and he was "very excited" about riding on it, the Cardiff inquest was told.

Coroner Mary Hassell said it "was too much for his heart," adding: "In some ways, what a way to go."

When she was alive his wife had put a stop to it, as wives often do

Coroner Mary Hassell on John Parsons' earlier desire to buy a motorbike

The inquest was told that Mr Parsons had wanted the bike for years but his wife Myra had prevented him buying one.

Miss Hassell said Mr Parsons had wanted to ride the motorbike for so many years "and when she was alive his wife had put a stop to it, as wives often do".

Recording a narrative verdict, she told the hearing: "He went out doing something that wanted to do for so many years."

But after her death from cancer last summer, he went ahead and bought the machine to comfort himself.

Medical evidence showed Mr Parsons suffered chest pains which caused him to wobble and fall under the wheels of a Range Rover on Five Mile Lane at Bonvilston in the Vale of Glamorgan last September.

Range Rover driver Stephen McKay said: "He came off and slid under the wheels of my car.

"There was nowhere I could go. I didn't stand a chance."

Recording her verdict, the coroner added: "Mr Parsons died as a result of suffering a heart attack while riding his motorcycle, causing him to fall into the path of an oncoming vehicle."

I still remember my first go on a 125 and a 500 felt like a race car