Accident rider in damages fight

A Shropshire motorcyclist whose life was wrecked by a head-on crash with another motorbike on a county road, has launched a million-pound compensation fight at London's High Court.

Simon Roger Powell, 45, was riding along the B4363 near the village of Cleobury Mortimer when disaster struck at a bend in the road on August 3, 2005.

Mr Powell, of Hazelwells Road, Highley, Bridgnorth, collided with a 600cc Suzuki coming in the opposite direction, suffering devastating injuries which will blight the rest of his life.

His head injuries were so grave he has no recollection of the accident, top judge Sir Robert Nelson heard yesterday.

Mr Powell is now seeking damages from the Suzuki's rider, Neil Michael Auden, of Marlborough Gardens, Wordsley, Stourbridge, claiming he was to blame for the crash. His legal team has said outside court that, if he wins his case, Mr Powell could be in line for a seven-figure compensation payout.

But Mr Auden, who was also badly injured and has no memory of what happened, denies he was to blame.

Mr Malcolm Duthie, for Mr Powell, argued that Mr Auden was too close to the centre white line, and went into a skid which took him straight into the path of Mr Powell's Harley Davidson.

However Mr Shaun Ferris, for Mr Auden, insists that it was Mr Powell who was riding too close to the white line.

The hearing continues.