A “DELIGHTFUL” university student was killed when her motorcycle skidded on sand left on a busy road in the wake of Storm Ciara, throwing her under an oncoming car.

Final year events management degree student Aimee Paton, 20, was riding her Piaggio GTS 125 after visiting her mum when she hit sand and silt washed into the road by the huge storm the previous day, an inquest heard.

The tropical storm was the first of three to hit the UK in quick succession earlier this year, flooding homes and tearing down buildings with winds reaching almost 100mph.

Aimee, from Portslade, was riding back to the University of Winchester after visiting her mum when tragedy struck on February 10 this year, the hearing was told.

The Duke of Edinburgh gold award holder’s bike veered into the opposite lane when she was thrown off and rolled under an oncoming Honda Civic on the A272 in Petersfield, West Sussex.

Crawley Coroner’s Court heard the incident happened in a few short seconds and that Aimee would not have known anything about her death.

She was described as a “dedicated, sensible and delightful daughter” and a “competent motorcyclist” who knew the road well, and was planning to go traveling with her boyfriend after graduating.

But it was said that the effects of Storm Ciara were so ferocious that Aimee’s death could not have been prevented.

Dr Karen Henderson, Assistant Coroner for West Sussex, said: “Such was the ferocity of the storm that this could not have been foreseen and therefore could not have been prevented.

“This is therefore a terribly tragic event that the consequences of Storm Ciara leaving silt and sand on the road were causative of her death.

“She was indeed a most delightful, kind and considerate daughter and it can only have left an enormous hole in the family.”

PC Steve Dessouki-Harman, who examined the scene shortly after the crash, said Aimee’s bike flayed violently from side to side in a movement known as the ‘tank slapper’ which only the most experienced of motorcyclists can control.

He confirmed both motorists had been driving within the 60mph speed limit and both vehicles were mechanically sound.

But he agreed with the coroner that the Honda driver simply did not have enough time to avoid the collision in the tragic accident which happened within seconds.

Giving evidence, PC Dessouki-Harman said: “The preceding 24 hours had been high winds in the whole of Sussex and it was given the name of Storm Ciara.

“The area was covered in silt and mud. This was due to the prevailing Storm Ciara. The rain had washed this sand and silt from across this field and across the carriageway.”

He added: “This all happened in a moment – perhaps no more than a second or two.”

The Highways Agency confirmed sand and silt on the road was not a known issue on this area of road and the farmer of the flooded land ensured steps had been taken to rectify the situation following Storm Ciara.

Aimee died of neck and chest injuries and traumatic rupture of the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the heart, which would have proved rapidly fatal, according to a pathologist report.

Toxicology reports showed no signs of drugs or alcohol in her system at the time of the accident.

Dr Henderson concluded the cause of death as that of a road traffic collision and gave her sincere condolences to Aimee’s family.

She added: “Sadly and tragically, Aimee died from a road traffic collision.

“I cannot imagine how difficult this must be for the family of Aimee and her friends.”

Aimee’s mum Lynda Paton, who attended the inquest, said afterwards: “She was the kindest, beautiful, intelligent and determined young lady.

“Her determination helped her follow her dreams.

“She was always a homely girl, but she wanted to go to university.

“While she was at university she also completed her Queen Scout award and her gold Duke of Edinburgh Award; in her Duke of Edinburgh award her skill was to learn sign language and she achieved this to a level 2 Degree.

“Aimee was two months off finishing her events management degree.

“Aimee always put 110 per cent into everything she did.

"She had a very unique sense of humour and found little things were the funniest. She enjoyed her dad jokes.

“Aimee’s only fault was to care too much, but for us this was quite endearing.

“Aimee‘s plan for next year was to go travelling with her boyfriend. She had started planning this and found the planning enjoyable.

“She always enjoyed planning things, and organising her brothers so that her plans went well.”

Her mother added: “Aimee will be much missed by her brothers, grandparents, myself and her dad.

"She gave us so much joy and laughter and we will miss her so much.

"Aimee was taken far too soon and had so much more to give."