Child died on motorbike he bought on Facebook

A boy was killed when he fell from a powerful off-road motorbike he bought on Facebook, an inquest has heard.

Preston Camps-Lee, 15, from Port Talbot, was described as "very bright" and a "wonderful pupil" by his school - but suffered a severe brain injury in the crash on Boxing Day 2023.

The inquest heard Preston had been out with a friend on their bikes, which he had bought just days earlier, but Preston lost control on an "S bend" when he struck a kerb and fell.

A police report said Preston bought the Stomp bike for £500 on Facebook marketplace despite it being sold with a faulty back brake, and his family are now calling for tighter restrictions on sales to underage riders.

His grandmother Kay Camps said: "I think there should be a law that a bike should not be sold to a minor without the parent's consent.

"The bike was advertised as a beast and ready to ride. It was a beast - it killed my grandson.

"His life was worth more than £500, that bike was not road worthy."

Mrs Camps thanked witnesses and emergency services who stopped to help Preston saying: "I will be forever grateful for these people who comforted my grandson when I couldn't".

Coroner Aled Gruffydd said he was considering writing a prevention of future deaths report to support the family's call for a law change and suggested they also raise the issue with their local MP.

The hearing was told the bike also had an underinflated front tyre and Preston - who held a part-time job with a window company - had "little or no experience" as a rider.

Preston and his friend had been riding on off-road land to practice on the bike before taking it on Cwmavon Road, a B-road, to head towards a mountain.

But he crashed not long into the journey, his helmet fell off and he died in hospital the following day.

Police investigators said they could not determine how fast he had been riding or whether the faulty brake had contributed to his fall.

The medical cause of his death was given as traumatic brain injury as a result of a motorcycle accident.

Coroner Aled Gruffydd said Preston had previously shown no interest in motorcycles and had "little or no experience" in riding them.

"In the days before Christmas he had become enthusiastic about buying a motorcycle and seems to have taken it upon himself to spend money given to him as gifts and from his employment to purchase an off-road motorbike," he said.

Mr Gruffydd said the motorbike was in poor condition, which "may have affected his ability to slow for the corner although it cannot be stated definitively".

Mr Gruffydd returned a conclusion of road traffic collision.

Following Preston's death, his mum Kelly described Preston both as her "baby" and the "man of the house".

"Sadly today we had to turn off the the life support of our baby and man of the house, the big boss man," she said.

She added Preston "kept us all together" and was "a little man who was loved by everyone".

In a letter to parents, his school, St Joseph's Catholic School and Sixth Form Centre, wrote: "Preston was a wonderful pupil, incredibly polite and smiled throughout his time in St. Joseph's Catholic School & Sixth Form Centre. He will be sorely missed."