County Durham boy died after motorbike fall

A four-year-old boy died after falling from a motorbike he had been riding with his seven-year-old cousin, an inquest heard.

Crook Coroners’ Court was told Lennox Railton Craggs had been excited to see the new 50cc Yamaha when he arrived home in Bishop Auckland earlier this year.

The youngster had spent the previous day quad biking and his grandmother had put his protective clothing - body armour and a motorbike jacket - in the house to be washed.

The court heard his cousin was learning how to ride her new mini-motorbike under supervision and Lennox had asked for a turn.

The inquest heard he was told he would have to be wearing his biking gear and go on the back.

But the youngster, a pupil at Prince Bishops Community School in Coundon Grange, could not wait and pushed his way to the front, forcing the older child to the back of the seat and pulled the accelerator lever.

The court heard he fell off as the pair rode over rough ground near his home on Elliott Terrace in Eldon Lane.

Lennox hit a metal post designed to stop cars being able to access the grassed area and suffered severe abdominal injuries.