A MOTORCYCLIST died in a head-on smash with a lorry as he rode on the wrong side of a 50mph road, a coroner’s court heard.

Southampton Coroner’s Court heard how world-renowned spinal surgeon Nick Boeree’s Yamaha motorbike exploded in a ball of flames after the crash, which took place in the New Forest.

The 53-year-old married father-of-three was driving home from the Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital along the A337 near Brockenhurst railway station when he was in collision with the articulated lorry in March this year.

Coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of accidental death.

The 32-year-old driver of the Volvo lorry, Lukasz Czczawinski, from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, was unhurt.

As well as being the lead consultant at the spine clinic, based at Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital in Chandler’s Ford, Mr Boeree also worked at Southampton General Hospital leading a team of specialists to manage and investigate a range of spinal disorders.

A spokesman for Mr Boeree’s family said: “We would like to express our gratitude to friends and colleagues for their support.”