TWO teenage friends killed instantly when a car crashed into a tree had earlier dragged a 14-year-old out of the driving seat, an inquest heard yesterday.

Driver Floyd Sendel, 17, and his 16-year-old passenger Tony Ayre, who lived two doors from each other in Roddymoor, near Crook, County Durham, had been drinking vodka before they took over the Ford Escort from George Nicholson, now 16, the court heard.

George, of Stanley Way, Billy Row, said he had swapped his mobile phone for the car the same day, in April 2000. He said he had driven it to a relative's farm.

He told the hearing at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court: "Tony dragged me out of the car and Floyd was kicking me.

"They drove off and that was the last I saw."

Questioned by Floyd's mother, Susan Watson, he denied that her son had given him £20 for the vehicle.

Other witnesses later saw the car careering at high speed along the B6299 from Stanley, Crook, to Willington, where it ended up on its nearside crushed against a tree.

The point of impact was 6ft above the ground and the Escort was so badly crushed that both teenagers had to be cut from the wreckage.

Off-duty police officer Karl Hopps, who was walking his dog along the road, saw the car leave the ground when it hit a dip in the road.

He said: "As the car passed us it was going at capacity speed. It went airborne. It was all over the place."

Darlington and South Durham Coroner Colin Penna recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: "It was a very dreadful accident in which two young lives were lost. Speed has been a factor and alcohol had been consumed in fairly substantial quantities by these two young men.