THE husband of an Astwood Bank woman who was killed in an horrific collision with a drink-driver has called on people to take more social responsibility to help prevent senseless deaths.

Jane Theron, 42, mother of three-year-old Ryan, was killed in a head-on crash in March as she was driving to Alcester on the B4090 at Alcester Heath.

Graham Meah, 44, of Dolphin Road, who was more than two and a half times over the limit, was also killed.

Mrs Theron's husband Danie, 37, said: "There used to be such a stigma surrounding drink-drivers but now it seems society just accepts it happens.

"It's everybody's responsibility to stop people who have too much to drink from getting into a car. One of their family or friends could be the next innocent person to lose their life simply because nobody prevented someone getting behind the wheel after they had drunk too much.

"If landlords or anyone sees someone attempting to drink-drive, they should do their utmost to stop them - we all have to start acting now," he added.

"The sooner people realise cars are lethal weapons, the sooner deaths can be prevented.

"I don't want others to be in the position where they have to explain to their three-year-old son why mummy won't ever be coming home.

"Ryan is slowly coming to accept his mum is lost to him forever. He often tells me, 'Mummy is in heaven and can't come back'."

Mr Theron said reckless drivers should also think before they get behind the wheel.

"Lives are wiped out in the blink of an eye. People need to think about what they're doing."

Prior to her death, Mrs Theron had quit her job with an IT company and with the help of her husband, was setting up a dog grooming and hydrotherapy centre - a lifelong dream in which she had invested her life-savings.

Mr Theron is now selling his home and the business but hopes he and Ryan will stay in the area.

"There are too many memories here and the house is simply too big for us. We have to move on."

An inquest on Thursday heard the accident happened as Mr Meah was returning home after a children's party and he had been drinking in an Alcester pub.

A post mortem revealed he had 218mg of alcohol to 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg.

Mr Meah was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car on impact. He suffered multiple injuries and is believed to have died instantly.

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

She was on her way to Wootton Wawen to pick up her parents from a social club, a trip she made every Sunday night.

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 he had been driving at between 75-80 mph, though at the inquest he changed that to between 60-65 mph.

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

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."

He recorded verdicts of accidental death.