A POPULAR teenager with "a heart of gold" died after crashing a stolen motorbike into a parked car, an inquest heard.

Brandon Holt lost control of the bike after hitting a speed bump on Wrens Nest Road at around 6am on May 29.

The 17-year-old, who had traces of cocaine in his system, had not been wearing a helmet or protective clothing and died at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital as a result of abdominal injuries.

Pc Damian Gibson from West Midlands Police's regional collision investigation unit, told Black Country Coroners Court that the bike had been stolen earlier that morning but Brandon, who had been handed a two year driving ban in March 2015, had not taken it.

He said the culprit had since been dealt with but the bike had been taken to Hillside Road, where Brandon lived and the teen had assisted in getting the bike started before deciding he wanted to be the first to ride it.

Pc Justin Williams, who investigated the collision, said he believed Brandon had been travelling "at speed" when he hit the speed bump and lost control of the bike.

He told the inquest the bike had skidded along the road on its side at speeds between 36-51mph and had been going above 20mph when it hit the parked Fiat Punto.

He said: "The motorbike was quite powerful machine, capable of going over 100mph. There's no evidence of any other vehicles being involved, nothing to suggest he had hit a pothole or anything like that."

Senior coroner Zafar Siddique described Brandon's death as "an absolute tragedy", but said: "It appears to be driver error. He was experienced but the combination of riding at speed, hitting the speed bump and the possibility of the probable effects of cocaine, all sadly led to this RTC.

"He had his whole life ahead of him, it's a tragic waste of such a young life."

Brandon's brother, Mitchell Holt told the hearing the teen had been his best friend, adding: "He was very independent. He could be naughty but he had a heart of gold, he always had other people's feelings in mind."