A MAN has been cleared of causing the death of Harrison Sievey, the son of Frank Sidebottom creator Chris Sievey.

Vithal Visavadiya was found not guilty of causing death by careless driving after an incident on February 12 2017, in which the Vauxhall Corsa he was driving hit Mr Sievey, 25. as he lay on the ground after falling off his bike.

The 63-year-old, from Clunton Avenue, Daubhill, was with his wife on the way home from an evening out when the collision occurred.

Mr Sievey, known to his friends as Harry, had been cycling along Mauldeth Road West, Withington, with a friend when he fell from his bike into the road.

The jury took around four hours to come back with a decision after the week-long trial. Ultimately, they cleared Mr Visavadiya of causing death by careless driving.

It was the second time the case had been tried at Manchester Crown Court.

Witnesses described seeing the fall and desperately waving their arms and shouting at Mr Visavadiya as his car approached.

However, the driver told jury members that he had not seen the fallen cyclist and was affected by the flashing lights of another motorist also trying to signal him.

After the crash, Mr Sievey was rushed to hospital in an ambulance but later died of his injuries.

Jurors, alongside Judge Alan Conrad QC, heard that Mr Sievey consumed three pints of lager at the Victoria pub in Withington that evening and had taken half a ‘Xanax’ pill, a minor tranquilliser, before beginning his bike ride.

Witness Emily Anderson-Porter, had been walking home with her boyfriend of the time when she saw the incident occur.

She described seeing Mr Sievey on the ground with a friend crouched over him trying to help. After walking towards the two men Ms Anderson-Porter noticed the Corsa approaching and tried to wave her arms at the driver.

“There was a point where I knew that the collision was inevitable,” Ms Anderson-Porter said.

“So, I turned around to face away from the scene.

“This was probably about one or two metres before the car made contact.

“I didn’t want to look."