A teenage motorcyclist saw the wreckage of a crash which killed his friend in his rear-view mirror, an inquest heard

Steven Robinson, 17, of High View, Sompting, near Worthing, crashed at a notorious accident spot.

At yesterday's hearing West Sussex coroner Roger Stone ruled Steven's death was an accident.

He said some family members, despite insufficient evidence, might take legal action because they believed Steven was killed by badly-placed safety bollards.

The apprentice machinist and his friend Shaun Cheatham, 18, of Valley Road, Sompting, had been riding east along the A27 on August 27, 2001, when they turned off at the interchange near Holmbush Shopping Centre, Shoreham.

Shaun told the coroner: "I looked in my mirror and saw Steve 200 metres behind.

"I went over the bridge and as I was going off I looked in my mirrors and saw Steve's bike had crashed into the barrier.

"I could see pieces of his bike flying everywhere. I knew he had crashed."

Shaun, riding a 125cc Asprilla similar to Steven's, said they were travelling at about 60mph.

Off-duty ambulance technician James Hacker tried to resuscitate Steven but nothing could be done.

Pathologist Dr Jeremy Grant confirmed Steven died from severe head injuries.

Crash investigator PC Colin O'Neill said Steven might have survived the crash if safety pillars did not line the interchange, one of which was bent 40 degrees by the impact.

PC O'Neill said: "Remedial work is going on for the time being."