A retired policeman and keen cyclist who encouraged others to take part in Sunday rides has died after crashing into a parked lorry in Epsom.

Dave Brentnall, 71, died at St George’ Hospital in Tooting after the crash near Clarendon Park on Monday afternoon.

Paramedics from the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance were called to the junction of Oakwell Avenue and Horton Lane, Epsom, at 1.30pm and airlifted Mr Brentnall to St George’s Hospital in Tooting.

But the Kingston Phoenix Road Club (KPRC) member died from his injuries in hospital, the club stated.

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Mr Brentnall was part of the Surrey Roads Cycling Club in the 1960s and won tandem open events in 1968 and 1969, the club said.

He joined the Kingston club after retiring and would join them once a week at Cranleigh for a bike ride.

Dave loved long rides and remained a fast rider who would often cycle up to 70 miles in a day right up until his 70th birthday.

Mr Brentnall led the club’s Sunday runs for five years and encouraged many members to take part.

A hip operation meant he found it harder to cycle, but he still enjoyed cycling around the county, a spokesman added.

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Dave Brentnall at the Kingston Phoneix Road Club dinner in 2010

“Dave has been in the club for a long while and kept the Sunday rides going single-handedly until his hip operation,” Jake Dodd wrote on the club’s website.

“We will miss him.”

Mr Brentnall is survived by his partner Jo.

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Surrey Police is appealing for information about the crash.

To offer information, call the force on 101, quoting reference number P17159023.