Paramedic killed in motorbike training crash

Mark Pell was known as "mother hen" by colleagues after 28 years in the NHS

A paramedic died on a North Wales Police motorcycle refresher course when his bike collided with a lorry, an inquest has heard.

Mark Pell, 51, from Essex, was with a colleague from the London Ambulance Service when they were involved in a five-vehicle crash on the A5 near Pentrefoelas in Conwy on 7 April 2022.

The inquest at the coroner’s court in Ruthin heard Mr Pell was negotiating a sweeping left hand bend when, for unknown reasons, his bike crossed the solid white safety line into the path of an oncoming HGV.

He suffered a brain injury after being thrown from his bike in a death the coroner concluded was as a result of a road traffic collision.

Other motorists tried to help Mr Pell and he was airlifted to hospital in Stoke-on-Trent.

His family were later told his traumatic brain injury was "unsurvivable" and he died on 13 April.

Mr Pell was described as an experienced motorcyclist who was attending a five-day rider refresher course run by North Wales Police.

Fellow paramedic Andrew Daly from London Ambulance service’s motorcycle response unit was behind Mr Pell and was thrown into the air during the crash, fracturing his pelvis.

Despite his injuries, he shouted medical instructions to those tending to Mr Pell and was commended by senior coroner John Gittins for his assistance "in a very difficult scenario".

Course instructor Philip Jones stopped his BMW motorbike safely and asked colleagues to contact the emergency services.

North Wales Police handed over the investigation to neighbouring Cheshire Police.

A forensic collision investigator with the force, Nicholas Harris, told the inquest he could not say what had caused Mr Pell’s bike to stray two foot over the solid white line into the opposite carriageway.

He estimated the bike was travelling at between 54-69mph (87-111km/h) at the time of the impact.

Mr Pell’s father Roger described his son as someone who "always wanted to help others from a young age" who was "known within the ambulance service as a safe rider and driver" who "loved what he did".