THE family of Robert Lawson, who died after being knocked off his motorbike, have paid tribute to the young man who always put his family first.

A two-day inquest into the death of the 25-year-old came to a conclusion Wednesday with Wiltshire deputy coroner William Baiche returning an open verdict. Mr Lawson, of Harris Road, Ashton Keynes, died on March 19 last year when his bike was knocked into a ditch at Fridays Ham Lane, Ashton Keynes.

The court heard how Tina Lefort was involved in an accident with Mr Lawson's 1,000cc Yamaha motorbike seconds before it drove into a ditch.

Mr Lawson tried to dial 999 on his mobile while he lay in the ditch and was connected to the ambulance control room, but because of his extensive internal injuries he was unable to speak clearly and tell the emergency services where he was.

Miss Lefort has always denied that she had any knowledge that she had hit a motorbike while driving to visit her boyfriend at Rickston Farm in Ashton Keynes on March 19 last year.

When she was interviewed by police a few weeks after the incident, she said all she could remember was that there was a loud bang, she caught a glimpse of a motorbike, then it was gone.

But Mr Baiche said it was "inconceivable" that Miss Lefort could not have known she had hit Mr Lawson. Earlier this year the Crown Prosecution Service said it would not pursue a case against Miss Lefort.

Following the inquest, Mr Lawson's mother Kathleen Lawson, who broke down several times during the two-day trial, said she was happy with the verdict.

"Nothing will bring Robert back, but at least it is now on record that she (Miss Lefort) had something to do with it," she said. "We all miss him, especially his younger brother Joseph. They were brothers but they were best friends as well."