ONE of the drivers killed in an horrific car smash near Alcester was two-and-a-half times over the legal drink drive limit and driving too fast, an inquest heard.

Graham Stuart Meah, aged 44, of Dolphin Road, Redditch, died when his Vauxhall Calibra was in a head-on collision with another car on the B4090 at Alcester Heath on March 28.

The other driver who died was 42-year-old Jane Susan Theron, of Evesham Road, Astwood Bank.

She is believed to have been driving close to the centre of the road because of ruts near the kerb and Mr Meah's car had been seen to cross over the white line.

A third car driven by Ian Cook, who later gave evidence, hit the wreckage as he went over the brow of a hill near Alcester Lodge.

Suggestions that Mr Cook, a motorcycle mechanic from Well Close, Redditch, was trying to force Mr Meah to race were denied.

Mr Cook was returning home from a day at Silverstone and initially told police that he had been driving at between 75 and 80 miles an hour, though at Thursday's inquest, he changed that to between 60 and 65 miles an hour.

He said Mr Meah was driving faster than that and pulling sharply away from him, though could not estimate his speed. The speed limit of the B4090 is 60 miles an hour.

The accident happened as Mr Meah was returning home after a children's party and he had been drinking in an Alcester pub.

He was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car on impact. He suffered multiple injuries including ruptured heart and aorta, fractured skull and spine, and is believed to have died immediately.

A post mortem revealed that Mr Meah had 218mg alcohol to 100ml blood in his body. The legal limit is 80mg.

Police investigations found that the rear tyres on his car had insufficient tread and the vehicle was not well maintained, though this was not considered to be a cause of the accident.

Mrs Theron was on her way to Wootton Wawen to pick her parents up from a social club - a trip she made every Sunday night - and her husband, Danie, was at home looking after their young son.

Mr Theron was surprised when his mother in law phoned to say that they had not been picked up, so asked a neighbour to look after the little boy and went to get them himself.

After dropping the couple off at their home in Alcester he headed back to Astwood Bank but hit the road block on the B4090.

He identified himself to police and it was there that he was told that his wife had been killed in an accident.

A post mortem revealed Mrs Theron died from multiple injuries to the head, abdomen and chest. There was no evidence of alcohol or drugs in her body.

South Warwickshire coroner Michael Coker said: "This was an accident that did not need to take place and there was no reason why it should other than perhaps speed and alcohol.

"If he (Mr Meah) had survived it may well have resulted in me not hearing this case but it being heard in a different court. But I am not going any further with that because he is not here with us."

Extending sympathies to both families he said: "It's more than apparent that both (drivers) would have been made unconscious immediately and quite likely died immediately so the injuries they suffered they would never have felt."

Mr Coker recorded verdicts of accidental death on Mr Meah and Mrs Theron.