A verdict of accidental death was recorded this morning into a three-year-old boy who died when a car reversed over him.

The two hour long inquest at Maidstone's County Hall heard evidence surrounding the death of Cody Leach who was playing on his bike just yards from his home.

It happened at around 6pm on April 21 and he was pronounced dead on arrival by air ambulance at Maidstone Hospital.

Cody's father James Large and his mother Michelle Leach were at the inquest but she walked out before evidence from the pathologist that he had died from head injuries.

The car involved was a black Citroen C4 and the driver was Andrew Warner, who said he did not see Cody as he reversed to make a U-turn in Sea View Gardens, Warden Bay, which is a cul-de-sac.

He added: "Kids were playing in the street. I had gone to visit a friend there and got back into my car after a few moments.

"I checked my rear mirrors and interior mirror - and I looked over my left shoulder - but I did not see anything."

The inquest heard that the first he knew about the accident was when he heard a thud and opened the door to see Cody beneath him.

Witness Declan McCarthy said: "It was a clear, dry evening and there were no problems with visibility. I was talking on the pavement with four mates and the car was directly across the road.

"It reversed quite quickly and I saw Cody cycle straight across the road towards the back of the car. The car and bike then hit each other. The music in the car was quite loud."

Mr Sykes stressed that it was not the job of an inquest to apportion blame.

He added: "I accept that Mr Warner did not see Cody before he reversed."

He heard that Cody's older brother Owen was also in the road but that he was not in the immediate area where it happened in order to supervise him.