Coroner verdict in death of promising footballer Marcus Powell (From Ledbury Reporter)

Coroner verdict in death of promising footballer Marcus Powell

5:08pm Friday 12th October 2012 in News

A CORONER has ruled that the death of Herefordshire teenager Marcus Powell, who was hit by a car while out jogging, was accidental.

Sixteen-year-old Marcus, a promising young footballer who played for Cheltenham Town, was running on the Kingstone to Clehonger road at about 5.15pm on Sunday, October 30 last year when he was hit by a silver BMW.

He later died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

At an inquest in Hereford today, witnesses said it was a very dark night as the clocks had just gone back and Marcus, who lived in Kingstone, was not wearing high-visibility clothes.

The driver of the BMW had tried to avoid the youngster but collided with him when he ran in front of the vechcle.

Deputy coroner for Herefordshire Roland Wooderson recorded a verdict of accidental death.