A CORONER has not been able to determine why a 56-year-old motorcylist drove on to the wrong side of the road, killing himself.

Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter heard Paul Hillier drove into a silver Mercedes on the 50mph A418 near Wheatley on August 19.

Mr Hillier had visited his daughter Angharad in Cowley and was returning to his home in Newham, London when the collision happened at 9.50pm.

The retired lorry driver was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and was pronounced dead at 10.38pm.

Alcohol, drugs, speed, a bike fault or sudden medical episode were ruled out at Tuesday’s hearing.

Police collision investigator Andrew Evans ruled said: “It is a bit of a mystery.

“It is not like a natural, very small mistake.

“I am thinking perhaps distraction, something has taken his mind off and he has just continued in a straight line.”

The inquest heard Mr Hillier was travelling towards Thame when he struck the offside of Adrian Ferramosca’s Mercedes, coming in the opposite direction. Mr Ferramosca told the hearing the Triumph motorbike suddenly crossed onto his side of the road.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Salter said: “We still don’t know why Mr Hillier was on the wrong side of the road.”

Mr Hillier’s 23-year-old daughter, who lost her mother Susan aged 53 from an asthma attack in 2002, told the Oxford Mail: “He had an awful lot of experience, which makes it hard to think he made a mistake.”