Cyclist ploughed into singer during RideLondon

A former professional singer was killed when a competitor in a cycling event ploughed into her as she crossed the road while walking her dog, an inquest heard.

Diana Barimore, 66, from Fulham, suffered critical head and chest injuries after being struck by the cyclist in the RideLondon event near her home and died a month later in hospital.

She was walking her beloved dog Bertie when she was struck by cyclist Paul Evans on July 30 last year, the hearing was told.

Mr Evans, who is in his sixties, was knocked in the collision.

Ms Barimore, a freelance lip-reader who interpreted for the deaf, had been warned by a marshal not to cross and to use an official crossing point, the inquest heard.

But she ignored him and walked across New King’s Road and collided with Mr Evans at 12pm, West London Coroner’s Court was told.

Ms Barimore was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London, where she developed pneumonia and died on August 31.

Mr Evans, who had also taken part in the event the previous year, said he was cycling in a group of five or six riders.

He told the inquest: ‘I think it was around 94 miles of the RideLondon event.

‘They were slightly in front of me. It’s quite normal for cyclists to ride close to other people, to get wind resistance.

‘I am away from the kerbside, to the rear of this group. I don’t know who is behind me. I am looking forward, observing.

‘The next thing, I am actually knocked out instantaneously.

‘No memory or reason why this should happen. I have no memory of what happens to me. I come to on the ground. I don’t think I was knocked out for very long.’

Paramedics arrived and he was taken to Chelsea Hospital for x-rays and scans.

Mr Evans said he did not see Ms Barimore before or after the accident.

Describing the road conditions, he said: ‘Visibility was good. The conditions overnight had been slight rain. 

‘The organisers had put information on the website to watch for that. But throughout the day it didn’t rain at all.

‘This is the second time I have ridden in this event. There are marshals at every twist and turn, warning you of loose gravel or potholes in the road.’

If they were going to stop cyclists for pedestrians, marshals would slow them down first, he told the inquest.

Ms Barimore was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London, where she developed pneumonia and died on August 31. File photo

Mr Evans added: ‘So the cyclists would have slowed down to stopping pace, and then pedestrians would be allowed to cross.’

There were no obvious signs that there was a crossing point there, he added..

Det Constable Amanda Hawke, from the Met Police’s serious collision unit at Merton Traffic Garage, investigated the collision.

She said: ‘Ms Barimore had been told by a marshal not to cross where she was standing, where she was wanting to cross on the corner. He pointed out the official crossing point.

‘But she ignored his advice. While he was talking to a driver, she just started crossing the road. And she seemed to freeze, from CCTV. And that’s when Mr Evans collided with her.’

Ms Barimore’s nephew, Jonathan Shearer, said there were ‘presumably’ no barriers, and asked: ‘Is there any action that could be taken in that space to prevent it happening again?’

DC Hawke replied: ‘I don’t think so. The marshal was there. His priority, what I understand, is he is to stop cars from going in the road when cyclists are going.

‘He is trying to do that as well as prevent pedestrians going in the road. It’s a difficult situation.

‘I think the ride has been going that route for a few years now. All the residents are warned, everyone knows it’s going to happen.

‘In my opinion, I don’t think there was anything much else the marshal could do.’

The inquest heard Ms Barimore had a history of anorexia and gout, and weighed only five-and-a-half stone.

Neurosurgeon Pawan Minhas, from St George’s, said she suffered a severe head injury with a skull fracture and multiple rib fractures.

She developed pneumonia in her left lung and her sepsis continued to be a problem, and she continued to deteriorate until her death, he said in a statement.

The medical cause of death was recorded as multiple organ failure, secondary to sepsis, which was a result of severe chest and inter-cranial injuries.

Her pre-existing condition of anorexia also played a part in the medical cause of death, the inquest heard.

Coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe said: ‘Diana Barimore began to walk across New King’s Road, which was at that time being used for a cycle race.

‘Unfortunately she was hit by a cyclist and suffered serious injuries. She was transferred to St George’s where despite all medical treatment, she deteriorated and died.

‘I find that this is a road traffic collision as the conclusion.’

The incident happened about 94 miles into the RideLondon event (the logo of which is seen here)

Jonathan Shearer, her nephew said she was a ‘one off’ who led a ‘colourful’ life, and worked as a professional singer before retraining as a lip reader to help deaf people.

Father-of-two Mr Shearer, 40, said: ‘It’s hard to sum somebody up in just a few words. She was just a really bright, entertaining and funny individual.

‘She was fiercely independent and hard working. She was a talented individual and definitely larger than life character – despite her small size.

‘She was a bit of a one-off. She was colourful, and an entertainer. She lived a very colourful life, and was still working and going about her business.

‘It was a bit of a shock. She was a very strong character. She got on with everyone she came into contact with.’

Mr Shearer, a product manager who lives in Glasgow, added: ‘She had been doing lip reading for quite a while.

‘Before that she was a professional singer. She did that for many years.’

He said she worked as a singer in clubs across the UK, on ships, and in musicals and theatres.

Ms Barimore, who is survived by her brother, was born in Scotland, and had lived in Fulham for more than 20 years.

She was walking her beloved sausage dog Bertie when she was struck by a cyclist last summer.

Mr Shearer said: ‘She was dog daft. She loved little Bertie. She will be greatly missed.’

Many of her colleagues in lip reading turned out for the funeral last year, he said.

He added: ‘They were waxing lyrical about how well thought of she was in that sphere. It really hit home.’