A TEENAGE motorcyclist was killed when a car pulled in front of him at traffic lights, an inquest heard.

Karl Allison, 16, of Stanhope Gardens, Annfield Plain, County Durham, died of multiple injuries and his 17-year-old brother, Christopher, his pillion passenger, lost his left leg below the knee, the Durham inquest heard.

The driver of the Ford Fiesta, Clare Vickers, of Langley Park, suffered shock but was unhurt and now faces a summons from police for careless driving following the accident at the main crossroads in Sacriston last September.

Motorist Colin Bowers, of Sacriston, told an inquest he saw the accident as he waited for the lights to change.

He said he went to help Karl, who was thrown off the bike.

"I could see he was in a critical state. He didn't seem able to respond to what I was saying."

At one point, Mr Bowers gave the teenager mouth-to -mouth resuscitation and said that, as he did so, heard the car driver saying: "I didn't see them."

Shortly before the crash, ambulance driver Geoffrey Knowles saw the 50cc bike "weaving about" but did not see it cross the road's centre line.

The inquest heard that tests revealed that Karl had been more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.

North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle recorded a verdict of accidental death.