A CORONER has recorded an open verdict into the deaths of a ten-year-old boy and his older sister following a fatal car crash.

Lee Armstrong was a front-seat passenger in a Citroen Saxo being driven by his 19-year-old sister Jenna when it crashed with a Nissan Micra.

The inquest was told that the Nissan pulled into the Citroen's path from a junction.

Although witnesses said the Citroen was travelling at high speed the hearing was told that the 78-year-old driver of the Nissan, Thomas Theobald, should have seen it in good time.

Accident investigator PC Keith Butler, who attended the scene of the crash on October 9 last year, said the A693, between Stanley and Chester-le-Street, at its junction with the West Pelton junction, 'resembled the scene of an aircraft crash more than anything else.'

He said when the Citroen hit the Nissan it lifted off the ground and became airborne. It then collided with a Honda Civic travelling in the opposite direction, driven by Ian Routh of Chester-le-Street.

A fourth car was hit by flying debris. There were no skid marks at the scene, added PC Butler.

He told the inquest that Mr Theobald should have had plenty of time to see the approaching Citroen. It would have been in view for 14.9 seconds had it been travelling 60mph and for 10 seconds at 90mph - a speed he believed the car would only have been capable of had it been going flat out.

North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle said he had been 'tempted' to return a verdict of unlawful killing.

But to do so he would have to have been satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offence was one of causing death by dangerous driving.

Mr Tweddle said: "It would be wrong to return a finding of accidental death in this case. I am very tempted to return a verdict of unlawful killing, but have a small doubt in my mind. I am going to return an open verdict, which I do not think I have ever done."

The pensioner and his wife, and the driver and passenger of the Civic suffered minor injuries.

Jenna and Lee lived with their mother, Karen, 47, a retired nurse, in Perkinsville, near Chester-le-Street.

Their father Ray, a 52-year-old retired police officer, was abroad on holiday when the accident happened, but returned immediately.

Lee was a sports-mad pupil at Pelton Community Primary School and Jenna was following in her mother's footsteps and training to be a nurse.

That evening, they were on their way to visit their older sister Lindsey, 26, in Consett. When they failed to arrive their mother became concerned. Mrs Armstrong went looking for them and within a mile came across the police road block set up after the accident.

In a statement after the hearing, Mr Armstrong, of Shiney Row, said: "I feel no personal malice against Mr Theobald.

"The comments of the coroner about the driving of Mr Theobald speak for themselves and whatever the comments they wouldn't bring back my daughter and son."

Mr Theobald, of Pelton, is facing a charge of careless driving before Consett magistrates on May 19.