AN Evesham law student died after being thrown through his car windscreen during a high-speed crash, an inquest was told.

Philip Hatt died almost instantly after receiving severe head injuries in the crash in Berry End, Broadway, on Saturday, April 21.

Worcestershire Coroner Victor Round told Stourbridge County Court yesterday how accident investigators had to piece together the 19-year-old's last minutes before the crash.

They found evidence on the road which showed how he may have lost control of his blue Peugeot 205 as the road was uneven.

After losing control, he tried to pull the car back to the right side of the road, but over-compensated and crashed into a Renault Clio, which was in a cottage driveway.

This car, in turn, hit the front wall of the cottage, doing a great deal of damage.

Calculated

The inquest was told how investigators had calculated the teenager was probably travelling at around 65 miles an hour within a 30mph limit, and was not wearing his seat-belt.

He was thrown clear of his car through the front windscreen when he first hit the Clio.

Mr Hatt, of Cheltenham Road, Evesham, had been following his friend Christopher Close in his car, and the pair were on their way to see another acquaintance.

Mr Close said one minute he looked in his rear-view mirror and could see Mr Hatt in his car, and when he next looked he was not there.

He pulled over at the side of the road and waited, but when his friend did not appear, turned back the other way and encountered the accident.

Coroner Victor Round recorded a verdict of accidental death.

"I'm sure he did not mean to harm himself," he said.