A CARDENDEN pensioner has gone on trial accused of causing the death of a cyclist by striking him with his car on a Fife road.

Adam Fernie, 80, of Jamphlars Road, is accused of causing the accident which resulted in 66-year-old Iain Anderson dying by dangerous driving.

Mr Anderson – described as a “loving father-of-five” – was cycling on the B937 Eden Bridge to Lindores near Ladybank, Fife, shortly after midday on August 25, 2019.

Fernie appeared in the dock at the High Court in Livingston today (Wednesday) accused of causing Mr Anderson’s death by driving dangerously on the rural road, near its junction with the B938 at Edens Muir.

The Crown alleges that he failed to maintain proper observations and failed to see Mr Anderson cycling on the carriageway ahead.

Fernie is accused of causing his white Nissan Cabstar to collide with Mr Anderson without braking or taking evasive action.

Prosecutors allege that Fernie’s vehicle was damaged and Mr Anderson, of Glenrothes, was so severely injured that he died at the scene.

In addition to dangerous driving, Fernie is charged with failing to stop after the accident, failing to give his name and address to any person with reasonable grounds for asking, failing to identify the owner of the vehicle and failing to provide the identification mark of the vehicle.

He is further charged with using the vehicle in dangerous condition with seized brakes, a loose handbrake cable, a missing wheel nut, a noisy wheel bearing and a worn track rod ball joint.

The faults allegedly identified by the prosecution also include a missing fuel filler cap and a fractured fuel tank strap.

Fernie, of Jamphlars Road, Cardenden, Lochgelly, denies the charges and is being tried by jury before judge Lord Weir.

At the time of the crash it was reported that a doctor who was on hand and paramedics from the Helimed air ambulance fought to save the Glenrothes grandfather but he died from serious head injuries .

In a statement following Mr Anderson’s death, his relatives said: “Our family are devastated to have lost a loving husband and father of five children, as well as an amazing grandad to five grandchildren. He will be sorely missed.”