AN emotional dad has paid tribute to his son after an inquest heard he was killed riding a bike with no brakes.

Kaden Knight, 23, from Shoebury, is thought to have been run over by a gold-coloured Land Rover Discovery after he fell off his bike, at the junction of London Road and Avenue Road, Westcliff, last November.

A toxicology report found that the cyclist, who had no brakes on his fixed-wheel bike, had a blood alcohol level of 107mg of alcohol, over the 80mg drink-driving limit, and traces of cannabis in his system.

Mr Knight who grew up in Cambridge moved to Shoebury 18 months before his death, on November 24.

His 51-year-old father Roy, said: “Cambridge and Southend have lost one of their young princes.

“It is nearly the first anniversary and you do not really ever get over these things but we are moving on.

“He was hard working, industrious and considered by many to be a very good friend.

“We had a beautiful life together. He was a really good friend and an amazing grandson, my father doted on him.”

Mr Knight was visibly emotional as the county’s coroner, Caroline Beasley-Murray, reached a verdict of death by road traffic collision at the inquest in Chelmsford this week.

The deceased’s mother, Tracy Sharland, was also present in court as PC Steve Perrett, from Essex Police’s forensic crash investigation unit, gave evidence.

He said there was no evidence to suggest the car, which was turning left out of Avenue Road, into London Road, had collided with Mr Knight before it ran him over.

He said: “One witness described him wobbling from side to side before falling off, another said he appeared to be standing on the pedals, the only way to slow the bike down, before his wheel slipped from underneath him and he fell into the road.

“It would appear he fell at, or about, the time the car left the mouth of the junction and ran over him.”

Police concluded the incident was not suspicious and the CPS chose to take no action against the driver who, following a reconstruction using the same car, is thought may not have been able to see Mr Knight lying on the road in front of her.

Caroline Beasley-Murray, HM senior coroner for Essex, initially concluded that the death was an accident, before amending her ruling.

She said: “I shall record a conclusion that Kaden James Knight died as a result of a road traffic collision.

“He clearly was a much-loved young man and I would like to express sympathy to you on his loss and hope you will be able to dwell on the happy memories you have of him.”