Two best friends were killed on a country road as they cycled home from pub crawl on their e-bikes, an inquest has heard.
Fathers Edward Trudgill and Daniel Macdonald, both 39, died on the A143 at Billingford in Norfolk on August 27 last year.
Separate inquests were told how the two fathers had joined friends on a day-long cycling tour of pubs on the Norfolk and Suffolk border.
They had been travelling home when they were hit by a Mini Cooper at around 9.30pm. Both men died at the scene from multiple injuries.
The driver Darrell Self, was released without charge by police who said there was ‘insufficient time and distance’ to react to the pair despite Self going just above the 50mph limit.
Daniel Macdonald (pictured) who was killed with his best friend Edward Trudgill as they cycled home from an e-bike pub crawl on the A143 road at Billingford, Norfolk
Edward Trudgill (pictured) lived only doors apart from Daniel Macdonald. Both died at the scene from multiple injuries
Norfolk Coroner’s Court heard how CCTV pictures showed Mr Trudgill was unsteady on his feet as he left the 17th century Scole Inn Hotel where the ride started and finished in Scole, Norfolk.
He is believed to have fallen off his e-bike at 9.30pm on August 27 last year on the 50-mph limit A143 road at Billingford near Diss, Norfolk.
Father-of-two Mr Macdonald pulled over to help him, and is thought to have stepped into the road to try and alert any oncoming traffic.
But the red Mini Cooper driven by Self ploughed into both men on the dark and unlit road. Mr Macdonald was then knocked into the path of a second car, a Jaguar X-Type driven by Carl Free.
The two friends who lived only doors apart in Brockdish, Norfolk, died at the scene from multiple injuries.
They were described as experienced cyclists who had been on several trips together, and were wearing helmets, but neither had high-visibility clothing on.
Mr Trudgill had an alcohol level of 227mg in 100ml of blood. The legal limit for driving is 80mg.
Mr Self who faced no further action from police told officers that the riders had ‘come out of nowhere’ and were ‘on the wrong side of the road’.
A report by Norfolk Police crash investigator Daniel Smyth which was read to both inquests, said Mr Self had been travelling at just over the 50mph limit.
But he could not have avoided the collision as there was ‘insufficient time and distance’ for him to react and ‘even at 50mph the outcome would likely have been the same.’
Norfolk Area Coroner Samantha Goward recorded conclusions that both men had died as a result of a road traffic collision.
She said: ‘It is clear they were on a dark road and riding without high visibility clothing.
‘It does appear on the balance of probabilities that Mr Trudgill came off his bike and was in the carriageway’.
Mr Macdonald had made a ‘conscious decision to go back and help his friend’, she said.
The coroner added: ‘The evidence suggests that Dan was trying to protect his friend when he was struck by one car and pushed into the path of another one.
‘I accept the police evidence that there was nothing either driver could have done to avoid them.’
Steve Thompson, a friend of both men who was also on the annual pub crawl get-together said they had all met at the Scole Inn at 11 am.
The A143 road at Billingford, Norfolk, where Edward Trudgill and Daniel Macdonald were killed as they cycled him from an e-bike pub crawl
They left on a circuit route, visiting pubs including the Old King’s Head in Brockdish, the Swan in Fressingfield, the Ivy House in Stradbroke, De La Pole in Wingfield and the Swan in Hoxne, and returning to the Scole Inn, which they left at around 9.15 pm.
Mr Thompson said the group had a ‘strict 30-minute rule’, meaning they would only drink a single pint at each pub.
He said: ‘I first met Edd when he was five years old and used to see him almost every day. I knew Dan through Edd and they were best friends from school.
Mr Thompson described the pair as ‘hilarious’ and ‘on good form’ while on the fun ride.
He added: ‘During the day they were the same old Edd and Dan and we had been doing cycling trips together for years.’
Mr Macdonald’s family described him after the hearing on Friday as ‘a loving father, stepdad, partner, son, brother, uncle and, to so many, a friend’.
Their statement to his family added: ‘Dan, known to his family as Bert, loved life; he was funny, happy and incredible in every way, just beautiful.
‘Dan enriched his family’s lives with nothing but love, kindness, fun, and happiness. Our hearts are truly broken, life will never be the same.
‘He was tragically killed in a road accident with Edd, his best friend since they were four years old.
‘We shall miss him and remember him with love every day. Dan was, and always will be, a much-loved member of our family.
‘Dan had two sons and lived with his partner and three stepchildren, with whom he shared his wide and eclectic range of hobbies, skills and interests.
‘He was always willing to help friends and family whenever asked. His love of restoring his classic car, renovating his home and garden made him the person he was.
‘We’re so proud of him and everything that he achieved. He has always been, and will remain ‘the most fun grown-up in the world”.
A statement released by Mr Trudgill’s family said: ‘Taken away from us way too soon, a much-loved son, brother, father, husband and friend.
‘He touched so many people, just a lovely kind and caring man. From his devastated broken family.’