THE death of a “loving son and family man” on New Year’s Eve was an accident, an inquest has ruled.

Tony Woods died when he was hit by a car while cycling home from the White Horse pub in Abingdon along the A415 to his home Marcham.

His mother Daphne Ellender, paid tribute to the father-of-three and called him a “very kind and hard-working” person who was well-known in the local community.

She said he had been due to move into a new house in Abingdon the next day, and was set to start a new job as a site manager.

Speaking after the inquest Mrs Ellender, 73, added: “His children have been left without a father and are at a loss without him.

“Tony was a loving son and loved his family, he was always very good to me.

“He had many friends locally as well. He had it all going for him.

“Maybe now we’ll never get an answer to what happened.”

Oxford Coroner’s Court heard yesterday that the car, a blue Ford Fiesta driven by Colin Nurden, appeared to crash into the side of the bike after Mr Woods swerved across the road.

Collision investigator PC Adrian White said when hit Mr Woods, 52, came off his bike and hit the windscreen before being thrown forward onto the road.

Mr Nurden told the court at the time of the collision at about 9.40pm, he had been travelling at about 50 mph, below the speed limit.

He added because it was dark he did not see Mr Woods until late and forced to make an emergency stop.

Police arrived at the scene and confirmed Mr Nurden did not have any signs of alcohol or drug consumption and that Mr Woods was not wearing high visibility clothing at the time.

Mr Woods was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford but he died the next day.

The inquest heard Mr Woods, who grew up in London but had lived in Marcham for a year, had been celebrating at the White Horse pub in Abingdon but was returning home to join his mother at their house in Mill Road.

The post-mortem report revealed Mr Woods died because of severe injuries to the head, chest and abdomen.

Assistant coroner Jeremy Chipperfield told the family: “I’m so sorry for your loss. It is impossible to know what you have been going through.”

Mr Chipperfield recorded a verdict of accidental death.