A TEENAGER failed his test the day before driving to his death at an accident black spot, an inquest was told yesterday.

Marc Anthony Noel suffered fatal spinal and head injuries when he spun off the A688 at the notorious Barford Corner, near Barnard Castle, and hit a tree on Friday, May 29.

Grandfather Michael Slater told the hearing, at Crook, County Durham, that his 17-year-old grandson had paid for a silly mistake with his life.

But he said the family were frustrated that no police action had been taken against the people who enabled him to get behind the wheel of a car.

"Boys will be boys, it ended tragically but he shouldn't have been in the car. That is a bitter pill to swallow," he said.

The inquest heard that Marc had got a lift with friends to Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle, just before 10pm to pick up a Subaru Forester owned by John Fenwick.

The family believe another man, Paul Metcalfe, had called Marc asking him to drive the car home to Cockfield so it would be there for off-roading on the fell later and given him the keys.

PC Neil Armstrong, who was in charge of investigations into the crash, said Mr Fenwick denied giving permission for the car to be driven and Mr Metcalfe had refuted claims he asked Marc to drive.

He told the hearing officers explored potential criminal action but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed due to ambiguous witness statements.

Friend Connor Armstrong, who was a front seat passenger in the car, said that neither of them wore a seat belt and that Marc had been driving fast.

Brushing away tears, he told the court that shortly before the crash his friend said: "I'm going to scare you tonight son. Put your seatbelt on."

The court heard that earlier that evening Marc had spent time with two other friends.

They had eaten at McDonald's and KFC, at St Helen Auckland, and shared around 12 cans of Budweiser before Marc went home.

It was about 9.30pm when he took a call and told his parents he was going back out.

Accident investigator PC Michael Woodhouse said a driver must slow down from the 60mph speed limit to safely negotiate the corner because they could be caught out by the sharp left-hand bend.

He estimated Marc was travelling 50mph to 60mph and said tyre marks showed he crossed onto the wrong side of the road and tried to correct the manoeuvre but over steered and lost control.

PC Woodhouse believed driver inexperience, alcohol and inappropriate speed all contributed to the accident.

He said the road surface, markings and signage were not to blame but agree that the site is a notorious stretch of road. Durham County Council plans to paint extra 'slow' warnings on both approaches to the bend.

PC Armstrong said that a day before the crash Marc had a two hour driving lesson followed by his test which was an "epic fail".

His instructor told police that he had received 60 hours of tuition, twice the number many learners require, but there were still problems with his driving, including a tendency to panic on new roads.

PC Armstrong said: "He'd failed badly in several areas, there were four serious dangerous faults, numerous observations to signs and signals. An epic fail."

Recording a ruling of accidental death, assistant coroner for County Durham, Crispin Oliver, reassured the family their concerns had not been overlooked.

He said: "Marc died, aged 17, in a road traffic collision driving a vehicle unsupervised, uninsured, while only holding a provisional licence having failed his driving test the previous day, badly.

"He wasn't wearing a seatbelt, had been drinking - just under the legal limit- he was clearly out of his depth and in a situation he should not have been in.

"Whilst he takes personal responsibility for that, and ultimately drove too fast for the road, I can appreciate the feelings of the family.

"Why was he driving? He shouldn't have been given the opportunity to place himself and potentially others in danger.

"That will occupy the hearts and minds of his family forever, that must be truly awful."