A DRIVER was rushing to retrieve his mobile phone from work before going to see his son’s first nativity play when he was killed in a car crash, an inquest has heard.

Scott Ineson was averaging around 91mph on a 60mph road shortly before he lost control and swerved in front of an oncoming car, County Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle was told.

Mr Ineson, 26, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was driving to Sedgefield Racecourse where he had left his phone in his boss’ car, the inquest heard.

Sergeant Simon Kestle, who led the investigation into the crash which occurred on the A689 between Bradbury Service Station and Sedgefield at lunchtime on Thursday, December 12, said Mr Ineson worked at the course’s car boot sale.

He said Mr Ineson had left work early shortly before 12.15pm so he could go and watch his son in his first nativity.

Mr Ineson averaged 33mph getting from the racecourse to the service station where he refuelled, but CCTV footage shows him then spending three minutes searching for something in his black Ford Fiesta.

Mr Ineson drove back towards the racecourse with the footage showing him swerving and braking as he went beneath the railway bridge that crosses the A689.

Sheila Hingley was driving a Skoda Fabia in the opposite direction and she said she saw Mr Ineson’s car swerving “like a serpent” several times before it disappeared behind a lorry in front.

Mrs Hingley said: “It all happened so quickly, as the lorry drove past me the car swung at a right angle right in front of me.”

Mrs Hingley, who had a front seat passenger with her, said she hit the brakes so hard she broke her heel but could do nothing to avoid slamming into the side of Mr Inseon’s car.

Mr Tweddle heard the crash occurred at a combined speed of between 60mph and 70mph.

The coroner also heard that Mr Ineson had opiates and benzodiazepine in his system which could have caused drowsiness or impaired his reaction times.

Mr Tweddle concluded the death was accidental, adding: “None of us like being late for things especially when we are annoyed at ourselves for being daft or forgetful.

“He has put his foot down and I think he has miscalculated, the other car (Mrs Hingley’s) was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”