A TEENAGE driver who knocked a ten-year-old girl from her bike had been travelling at least 15mph over the speed limit, an inquest into the girl's death was told.

A forensic accident investigator said that if Christopher Mitchell, 18, had been travelling within the 40mph speed limit, he would have been able to stop without hitting her.

Even if he had collided with the cyclist, it would have been only a 'very minor' accident, the hearing was told.

Witnesses described hearing a long screeching of tyres and seeing tyre smoke billowing behind the car as it made an emergency stop.

Newcastle coroner David Mitford ruled that Laura Burrows-Schofield, of Nevilles Cross, Durham City, had died accidentally.

The crash happened at a traffic refuge 200 metres south of the Nevilles Cross junction on the A167 on May 19, last year.

Witness Desmond Curran said he followed Mr Mitchell's turbo diesel VW Golf from the junction.

They both turned left and he saw the Golf accelerate away from him and brake heavily with what he described as "quite a bit of smoke coming from the tyres". By the time he arrived at the scene, Mr Mitchell had already got out of his car.

The driver was on his mobile phone and approaching Laura, who was on the ground.

Pedestrian John Thompson said that shortly before the accident, Laura had cycled past him on the sidewalk.

He heard screeching, and saw smoke coming from the Golf's tyres as it collided with her. In an interview with police, Mr Mitchell said he had seen Laura sitting on her bike, "looking as though she was waiting to cross the road".

He said: "It was so quick. The one second I was driving along and the next it was glass shattering in front of me. I stopped as quickly as I could."

Forensic accident investigator Graham Greatrix said that based on his calculations the Golf had been travelling at 48mph at the moment of impact.

The skid marks were more than 20 metres long - nine metres before the point of impact.

Taking all factors into account, he estimated that Mr Mitchell had been travelling at least 55mph when he applied the brakes.

He said: "My conclusions led me to the opinion that this driver could have stopped the car just before the collision if he had chosen to travel at 40mph.

"If there had been a collision, it would have been very minor."

Mr Mitchell faces a charge of driving without due care and attention.