A TEENAGER died after losing control of his car and clipping a grass verge on a windy night, an inquest was told.

Mikey Edwards, aged 19, of Upton-upon-Severn, crashed on the B4211 near Longdon shortly after 10.30pm on Thursday, February 3.

At the inquest Worcestershire coroner Geraint Williams was told that Mr Edwards had not taken drugs and, although there was alcohol in his system, he was within the legal drink-drive limit.

Mr Williams said there was no suggestion that Mr Edwards, of Hillfields, had been driving at excessive speed, but said it was important to bear in mind that the incident occurred on a stretch of road governed by the national speed limit.

He said: “Clearly, 60mph is fast.”

Jon Palmer, who was travelling in the passenger seat of the car, said he had phoned Mr Edwards at about 10.30pm and asked if he could give him a lift home.

He said Mr Edwards was wearing a seatbelt when he arrived, but he thought that rear seat passenger Damian Chamberlain – who was seriously injured in the accident – had not got his fastened.

Mr Palmer said it was dark and windy, but dry, and there was no ice on the roads as far as he was aware.

He said that there was music on and “a bit of banter” between the friends in the car, and that the first he was aware of any problem was when Mr Edwards started shouting as they approached a left-hand bend at the end of a long straight.

He grabbed the hand-hold as the car clipped a grass verge and started to roll before coming to rest on its roof.

Mr Palmer said: “It didn’t feel like the car was out of control until it started to spin.

"I don’t know whether he oversteered or if the wind played a part. Mikey was a good driver.

“He knew the roads and was never one to let go and push the boundaries. He was careful.”

Mr Palmer told how he smashed his window and crawled out of the car, calling his friends’ names. Receiving no response, he found both of them lying against the roof of the upturned car and pulled them out.

With petrol spilling around, he moved them further away from the car on the advice of a 999 operator.

“Damian was rolling around in pain and I sat with Mikey on my lap,” he said.

Mr Edwards did not regain consciousness at the scene and was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital where he died of cerebral contusion and diffused brain injury caused by a fractured skull.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Williams said it was likely that a combination of factors were involved – the speed of the road, the loss of control, the windy weather and the small amount of alcohol in Mr Edwards’ system.