A ‘FUN-loving’ father of two was killed after his bike collided with a HGV lorry on the Wolvercote roundabout.

Emmanuel Jacob was riding his electric bike after finishing a shift at the nearby BP garage station when he was killed on Friday, May 20.

Coroner for Oxfordshire Darren Salter told an inquest yesterday that the 42-year-old’s death was a ‘tragic accident’.

Described by his colleague, Chelcie Blackman, as always ‘laughing, joking and full of energy’ and popular with customers, Mr Jacob had finished a shift and was on his bike at the roundabout.

In a statement read to the inquest, eye witness and driver Adam Stowe said he heard a ‘whoop’ and looked in his mirror to see the father-of-two cycle by.

He added: “The cyclist had a front light on and undertook me which I thought was quite dangerous and he continued to undertake the lorry, which was indicating to turn left.”

The road had narrowed to one lane as maintenance work was being carried out on the roundabout.

Cyclist Stephanie White was already on the roundabout when she heard a ‘crunching noise’, initially thinking the lorry had hit one of the roadwork barriers.

She said: “I jumped off my bike and ran to help the person who was lying on their front.”

PC James Henderson, collision investigator, said he believes Mr Jacob, who lived in Peppercorn Avenue, could not be seen by lorry driver William Crouch.

He said: “He entered his blind spot, the driver did not see or could not see the cyclist as he pulled away.”

The coroner absolved the lorry driver of any blame.

A post-mortem revealed that Mr Jacob had suffered a cardiac arrest and his injuries were ‘in keeping with being crushed under the wheels of a HGV.’ Previously Mr Jacob’s family said: “Emmanuel, who was from Oxford, was a caring, fun-loving and sociable man that was tragically taken from us too soon.

“He will be fondly remembered as the life and soul of every gathering, his caring nature and his infectious laugh.

“He leaves behind two daughters”

Mr Salter said Mr Jacob had died from multiple injuries and concluded his death was a result of a road traffic accident.

He added: “I should say that cycling down the near side of a HGV when it is in a narrow place is something which is particularly dangerous.

“I am satisfied that Emmanuel Jacob was riding his pedal bike at the A44/A40 Wolvercote Roundabout having cycled down the near side of a HGV lorry waiting on the roundabout, about to turn left.

“As the HGV pulled off there was a collision which resulted in Mr Jacob sustaining fatal injuries.”