A motorbike enthusiast who died when his Triumph unexpectedly swerved off the road and hit a lamppost may have fainted due to a heart condition, an inquest heard.

Arthur Chappell, 86, was riding his motorcycle along Gorse Hill in Farningham when he suddenly veered to the left, went along a verge and struck the post.

The inquest at Gravesend’s Old Town Hall heard the retired taxi driver was still astride his red Triumph when motorists stopped to help but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Chappell, who lived in Oakland Close, West Kingsdown, sustained multiple injuries but was said to suffer from significant coronary heart disease, and that it was “entirely possible” he had a cardiac arrythmia – an irregular heart beat – while on his motorbike.

A post mortem examination showed that one of his main arteries was narrowed up to 90%.

Recording that the widower’s death in June was due to natural causes, North West Kent coroner Roger Hatch said: “It is significant in my view that sadly Mr Chappell’s heart was in a poor condition with a number of problems.

“Because of that significant coronary artery disease it is entirely possible he had a cardiac arrythmia which caused him to pass out and leave the road in the way he did.”

Mr Chappell was travelling towards Farningham on the A20 at about 8pm, with three cars behind him.

One of the motorists, Laura Keen, from Dunton Green, near Sevenoaks, later told police all the vehicles were driving at about 50mph when the Triumph suddenly veered off the road and there was “a big puff of dust”.

Ms Keen, who had her baby in her Ford car, described the movement as gentle, however, and thought the rider would assume his original position on the road.

PC David Kirk of Kent Police forensic investigation unit told the inquest a medical episode suffered by Mr Chappell may have prevented him from taking any action to avoid the collision and account for the lack of braking marks on the road.

He said the bike was old and one for an enthusiast but, despite two electrical faults, had no defects which would have caused or contributed to the accident.

There was also no evidence to suggest Mr Chappell was speeding or that the Triumph had fallen before hitting the lamppost.

PC Kirk added that a dead rabbit was found in a nearby gutter but none of the witnesses had recalled seeing one in the road.