A dad who tried to cross a busy Newcastle city centre road in his mobility scooter was hit by a double decker bus that had been "obscured from his view" by a bus travelling in the opposite direction, an inquest heard.
George ‘Geordie’ Bilclough had travelled from his home in Elswick on February 12 last year and was on his way to buy some computer software for a family member in Eldon Square.
An inquest heard the 53-year-old was outside Next and was waiting to cross Blackett Street at the junction with Gallowgate and Percy Street.
When a bus travelling from Old Eldon Square away from Newcastle went past him, he rode out onto the pedestrian crossing behind it, despite the 'red man' still showing on the pedestrian lights.
The inquest heard that three other people can be seen crossing the road and passing Mr Bilcough, which may have influenced his decision to start crossing.
Tragically, Mr Bilclough didn't realise that there was another bus turning into Blackett Street at the time.
His view was obscured by the other bus and on the CCTV he appeared not to stop to make sure there were no vehicles coming from the left side, it was said.
Northumbria Police collision investigator PC Ian Hall said the bus driver, who was travelling at 13mph, was left with "no time to react" when he saw Mr Bilclough and hit his left side.
Mr Bilcough suffered "massive chest injuries" in the crash and died a day later in Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI).
The inquest heard Mr Bilclough had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from smoking and used a mobility scooter to get around, as his condition caused breathing difficulties.
His family said he had had his scooter for about seven months after buying it online, and had gone to the city centre in it on the day of the crash.
PC Hall told the inquest: "The CCTV shows George arriving at the pedestrian crossing adjacent to Next.
"The bus travelling from the west towards Eldon Square crosses over the centre of the road.
"George at that point chooses to enter the pedestrian crossing area. As he does that the eastbound bus is obscured from him and he doesn't appear to stop to make sure there are no vehicles coming from the left side.
"CCTV shows George coming from behind the bus leaving Newcastle into the path of the bus going towards Newcastle.
"Three people can be seen walking past George into the road behind the bus, but they are across the carriageway as George starts to make his way out.
"It could be that seeing them has influenced him to make that decision to cross, incorrectly thinking that the traffic had stopped.
"The pedestrian crossing wasn't activated - the pedestrian lights would have been red and the traffic lights would have been green."
He added: "The driver would have had no time to avoid the collision with George."
The inquest heard Mr Bilclough went into cardiac arrest at the scene but paramedics gave him CPR and restored his circulation.
He was transferred to the RVI where he suffered another cardiac arrest and a CT scan showed he had an air leak in the left side of his chest. He continued to deteriorate and died on 5.45pm on February 13.
Pathologist Dr Clive Bloxham said the medical cause of death was "multiple injuries consistent with a road traffic collision".
Andrew Hetherington, assistant coroner for Newcastle, ruled that, "George Bilclough died as a result of injuries sustained in a collision between a double decker bus and him riding on a mobility scooter over a pedestrian crossing, whilst his view was obstructed and in contravention of the pedestrian lights."
A conclusion of accidental death was recorded.
After his death Mr Bilclough's family said: “He fought a good fight but lost in the end. He will forever be missed and his love will never be lost."
