AN electrician died when the best friend he had joined in New Zealand crashed a car while driving at twice the speed limit and three times over the drink drive limit, an inquest heard.

Mark Taylor, originally of Billingham, had just started his new life when his lifelong friend David Stearman, also from Teesside, ploughed into a parked car while driving at more than 62mph in Auckland.

Mr Taylor, 28, died of head and brain injuries when his family decided to switch off his life support machine ten days after the accident in May last year.

Stearman, 27, who had emigrated to New Zealand about four years earlier, was sentenced to two years in prison and banned from driving for the same period after he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and dangerous driving, in September.

Speaking after yesterday's inquest at Teesside Magistrates' Court, Mr Taylor's brother, John, described Mark as a loving and caring person.

He said: "All he wanted to do was have a better life for himself. There was a lot of life in him - he was just a loving and caring person.

"He went on holiday to New Zealand the year before and he planned to move there and he absolutely loved it.

"Mark was planning to spend time with his friends and enjoy his life."

The inquest heard that the two friends had been drinking in Auckland, New Zealand's capital city, before driving home in the early hours of May 14 last year.

A witness told New Zealand police investigation officers that the driver, Stearman, failed to negotiate a busy road and smashed into the rear of a parked car, throwing it into the air before landing on top of another parked car.

Stearman's Nissan spun out of control before coming to a stop.

Mr Taylor suffered severe head and brain injuries, but Stearman walked away with minor cuts and bruises.

PC Karl Bevin, a collision analyst for Auckland Harbour Bridge police, concluded that: "Excessive speed and alcohol were the two main factors in this collision."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield said: "I am satisfied from the post-mortem examination, that was carried out in New Zealand, that the appropriate cause of death was head injury."