THE death of a teenage cyclist on her way to school was described as a tragic accident as witnesses were unable to say what caused the fatal crash.

Sarah Waterhouse, 17, of Orchard Way, Marcham, died instantly in a collision with a Tappins school bus as she crossed Colwell Drive in Abingdon, on the morning of Monday, October 6.

At an inquest into the Larkmead student’s death today, Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner said it was impossible to tell whether a problem with Sarah’s bike slowed her down as she crossed the road.

He also said that the teenager might have misjudged which way the coach was going.

Coach driver Andrew Sale, who has worked for Tappins for eight years, said that he saw a cyclist near McDonalds on the footpath in Colwell Drive as he approached the Marcham Road roundabout.

He said: “There was a young girl and she was heading towards the drop kerb.”

He told the inquest that he could not remember if he had indicated to turn left into Colwell Drive. He said that he heard a “thud”.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Gardiner said: “It would be very easy to speculate what happened. But I can’t really do that.”

After the inquest, Sgt Peter Jell, of the Roads Policing Department, said: “It was just a very tragic accident.”