A TEENAGER who died in a car crash as she left a motorway had only completed two driving lessons, it has been revealed.

And mystery remains about why she jumped behind the wheel of her husband's car and sped off after he got out of the car.

Cassandra Jobes, 19, of Poplar Street, South Moor, Stanley, County Durham, died of her injuries after her Vauxhall Vectra left the A1(M) at Chester-le-Street, on Monday.

Police said she got into the car and drove away despite only having had two lessons.

Drivers reported seeing the Vectra -illuminated only by its flashing hazard warning lights -driving erratically. At one point, it narrowly missed a man who had stopped to change a tyre.

Before she could be stopped, the vehicle hit a roundabout and overturned several times. She was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham, but died of her injuries. The road was closed for four hours while emergency services recovered the vehicle.

Mrs Jobes had been married for just over a year to 57-year-old Derek Jobes.

Accident investigators believe Mrs Jobes may not have been wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Police Inspector John Snowball said: "There were a number of other vehicles on the motorway at the time.

"Other drivers are certain to have seen the Vauxhall Vectra being driven in an erratic fashion between Washington and Chester-le-Street, especially as only its hazard lights were on.

"We would appeal to anyone who has seen the car in the moments leading up to the crash to contact police, particularly the man who was changing his wheel."

Anyone with information is asked call 0191-375 2159.