A WINE bar manager crashed his newly-bought car killing his fiancee Sarah Hampton on the way home from a birthday celebration, a jury heard.

David Barnard lost control of the Peugeot 205 GTi as he overtook a Ford Escort. It hit the kerb and somersaulted into bushes, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Sarah, 20, of Titton, Stourport, died in the horrific accident on the A451 at Ismere on the Kidderminster to Stourbridge Road after being thrown out of the front passenger seat

Her family, who run an opticians, launched an appeal in her memory and have set up an eye clinic for orphans in Romania.

The court heard the victim and three friends were being given a lift home by Barnard, bar manager of Yates's Wine Lodge in Kidderminster, who had picked them up from a nightclub in Brierley Hill.

He had been working and had not drunk any alcohol that night but was an inexperienced driver who had only had the fast car for three days, said prosecutor Ian Ball.

He alleged that the defendant was driving too fast in a fully-laden vehicle and lost control as he overtook just after midnight on May 16 last year.

Barnard, 23, of Queen Elizabeth Road, Kidderminster, denies causing the death of Miss Hampton by dangerous driving.

He and Terah Wainwright, 22, climbed out of the wrecked car. Helen Smith, 19, and Elaine Groves, 20, were also thrown clear.

Miss Smith, a university psychology student, of Britannia Gardens, Stourport, sobbed as she described the events leading up to the death of her best friend Miss Hampton.

She said they had gone to the Academy nightclub to celebrate Miss Hampton's birthday.

She left drunk and was chatting to Miss Hampton as Barnard pulled out to overtake.

She told the jury: "Me and Sarah were laughing about the night. He was driving fast, but I can't remember how fast. It was a quick move to the right.

"The next thing I remember was just spinning for ages. Then I was in a bush. I couldn't breathe because my lung was punctured. I couldn't shout for help."

Miss Smith also suffered five broken ribs, a broken collarbone and a fractured hip.

She had been in a wheelchair for six months following an earlier car crash and had only come off crutches a few days before the Ismere smash.

Barnard told police his car "just snapped off" to the right and it then "just took off".

He first thought he was travelling at 70-80mph in a 60mph limit but later estimated his speed at 70-75mph.

Mr Ball said the car skidded for 70 metres, hit the kerb, rolled and landed back on its wheels. The vehicle had no mechanical defects.

The trial continues.