A POLICE hero from York died from meningitis which he developed after being treated in hospital following a road accident, an inquest has revealed.

PC Kevin Green, 39, of Clifton Moor, York, fell ill and died the day after he was discharged from Leeds General Infirmary.

At the opening of an inquest into his death, York Deputy Coroner Jonathan Leach told how Mr Green, a keen cyclist, was knocked to the ground in a collision with a car on the Millfield Lane roundabout on the A1237 York outer ring road on Wednesday, May 9.

He was taken to York District Hospital and transferred to Leeds General Infirmary.

He was treated and then discharged last Tuesday .

"He appeared reasonably well," said Mr Leach.

But he added: "Early the following morning he developed a high temperature."

Mr Green was taken to York District Hospital and transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he was diagnosed as having severe meningitis.

"Despite the best efforts of hospital staff, he died later that day," said Mr Leach.

He gave the cause of death as meningitis and a fracture at the base of the skull.

Mr Leach adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed as there were a number of other inquiries which needed to be carried out.

PC Green, who was stationed at Tadcaster, was married to Carol, who works at BBC Radio York.

He had been working in York as an acting sergeant and was on the verge of promotion.

He was presented with a divisional commander's commendation for bravery in July last year after he and colleague Steve Goodman tackled a man armed with two ten-inch carving knives in Tadcaster.

Updated: 10:20 Saturday, May 26, 2001