Police failed to properly investigate a crash in which a cyclist died of horrific head injuries, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has ruled.

Canterbury College lecturer Richard Jordan, 67, died almost three years ago when he came off his bike in Long Hill, Old Wives Lees, but there has always been a dispute between his family and police over whether he simply fell off or was hit by a car.

Paramedics failed to tell police about the accident in November 2011, and officers were not aware it had happened until the coroner contacted them the following day, by which time other vehicles had passed through the crash site, making it impossible to fully investigate Mr Jordan’s death.

Then at an inquest more than a year later his family heard a chilling 999 call where a couple were recorded arguing over whether or not their car hit Mr Jordan.

The death was recorded as an accident by the coroner, prompting Mr Jordan’s widow Sue and children Neil, Paul and Emma to lodge a complaint, initially with Kent Police and later with the IPCC.

"The IPCC case worker is the first person who has actually listened to us. We’ve been fighting for nearly three years and nobody has ever taken us seriously" - Sue Jordan

Now the watchdog has slammed Kent Police’s investigation and demanded it re-examines the case.

After reading the IPCC’s report, Mrs Jordan, of Bowerland Lane, Old Wives Lees, said she felt someone was paying attention to her for the first time in three years.

She said: “To have the report come back like this is brilliant. It’s absolutely pulled the police investigation to pieces.

“The IPCC case worker is the first person who has actually listened to us. We’ve been fighting for nearly three years and nobody has ever taken us seriously. I’m still pinching myself.

“It’s been a long haul to get this far but we weren’t going to give up. We will keep going until we get the justice we feel we deserve. It’s a case of ‘watch this space’ now to see what Kent Police do next.”

Retired BT engineer Mr Jordan had ridden his bike on Long Hill almost every day since his children bought it as a present for his 50th birthday.

At the inquest, the couple who called 999 said Mr Jordan was cycling towards them when he lost control and fell off his bike.

Pathologist Dr David Rouse said Mr Jordan’s injuries suggested he had not been hit by a car and may have suffered a minor heart attack.

Mr Jordan suffered a fractured skull and 10 broken ribs and died in hospital about eight hours after the crash.

A police spokesman said: “Kent Police is very sorry the family of Richard Jordan didn’t feel they received the service they deserved from Kent Police.

“The issues raised by the IPCC make disappointing reading and raise a number of concerns that we are taking very seriously.

“We will be re-investigating the family’s complaints and further reviewing the evidence already gathered.

“As directed by the IPCC, this will be to establish whether the original recommendations were sufficient or whether there are any failings that have not been identified so far. We will of course keep the family updated at all stages of this review.

“We will endeavour to do everything we can to rectify this difficult situation and our sympathy is with Richard Jordan’s family following their very sad loss.”