Teen was nearly twice the drink-drive limit

An inquest heard how Paul Goodwin's Ford Fiesta flipped upside down after hitting concrete anchor posts supposed to hold in place a barrier over the Lugg Bridge at Lugwardine.

Paul's parents took part in a hard-hitting anti-drink drive campaign following his death, which saw the wreckage of his Fiesta put on Aylestone Hill along with the slogan Dying for a pint?

The 18-year-old had been drinking on a night out in Hereford on August 5 last year and a sample from his blood indicated 156 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes.

Paul had left his car at a friend's house, not intending to drive, and the three passengers who were in the car that night, who all gave evidence at the inquest, couldn't remember the reason for them to get in the car.

However Daniel Price, a good friend of Paul's, said it was not unusual for them to go for a drive after a night out.

The inquest heard the pair had gone to a nightclub and drunk alcopops and Jack Daniels.

They then went to get food from the Golden Galleon, where they met Siobhan Jenkins and Jessica Frost.

They all got a taxi back to Mr Price's house and then got in Paul's car and headed in the Ledbury direction.

In their evidence the passengers all said Paul had been driving quite fast along the straight leading to Lugg Bridge.

Miss Jenkins also said: "He was swerving across the road."

Miss Frost, who lives in Lugwardine, said she knew the bridge was on a bad bend and warned him to slow down as they approached.

"I think he was doing about 80mph," she said.

The inquest heard the car skidded just before the bridge, hit the barrier - which is the responsibility of Herefordshire Council - and flipped.

Paul suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. The other passengers suffered relatively minor injuries.

Malcolm McDonald, who had prepared a detailed report on the accident, explained to the coroner the type of barrier the car struck.

He said: "The barrier gave way at the foundations and did not function as it should have done. Concrete anchors came out of the ground and they are not supposed to."

Giving his verdict, Coroner David Halpern said: "The anchor points were not constructed or installed as they should have been and there is a high probability this is what allowed the car to flip onto its roof.

"Although I don't like to speak ill of the dead, it was exceedingly foolhardy for Paul to drive after drinking and in the manner he was. It's fortunate there is only one inquest and not four.

"However, had one of the passengers said something to Paul or refused to get in the car, perhaps all four would still be here."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.