A CYCLIST has died in a collision with a pedestrian near Boscombe Pier.

The 54-year-old was named as Kevin Watts by friends, who described him as a “wonderful person who would do anything for you”.

Mr Watts was cycling down the steep Sea Road when the collision occurred at the roundabout where Sea Road meets the prom at around 9.30am on Saturday. He was taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital with serious injuries and died at 8.40pm.

Mr Watts, who lived in Boscombe but was originally from Essex, was said to be a single unemployed man who would ride along the prom every day and enjoyed swimming in the sea with friends.

He is believed to have a mother living in Verwood and a brother at sea.

The 38-year-old pedestrian, who was visiting the area, sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene by ambulance staff.

Mr Watts’ bike is also thought to have collided with a white van parked at the side of the road.

Police, who were called some time later, cordoned off the roundabout and part of Sea Road to traffic for several hours while examinations of the scene took place.

Claire Keane, 31, who works at The Kiosk, Boscombe Pier, saw the tragedy as she put out tables and chairs.

She said: “He went flying in the air and landed on his stomach.”

Adam Cooke, 27, who works at the Boscombe Pier Shop, said: “I heard a loud bang and a yelp and then a lot of people started rushing over. One guy was saying ‘Give him some space’.”

Gwen and Steve Holmes, a mother and son team who run East Cliff Kiosk, described Mr Watts as “a very kind considerate person who went everywhere on his bike”.

Gwen said: “He was a good friend and we had known him for a couple of years.

“We just got to know him from buying ice-creams. Every day he would come down and say hello. He was a wonderful person and he would do anything for you. We would come down with a lot of stock in the car and he would help us to unload it.”

Police say they want to speak to the driver of a white sign-written Ford Transit van parked at the bottom of Sea Road at the time of the collision.

Witnesses or anyone with information should call PC Dave Innell of the Ferndown Traffic department on 01202 222 222.

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