A DRIVER was killed after he lost control of his car and careered into the path of an oncoming van, an inquest was told.

Adrian Lange, 24 of Ovington Place, Haverhill, died after his Nissan Almera struck a Nissan Primastar van almost head on in Westley Lane, Horringer, near Bury St Edmunds on January 20 last year.

A coroner’s court, sitting at the Active Business Centre in Bury St Edmunds was told that there was nothing to explain why Mr Lange had lost control.

Dr Dan Sharpstone, assistant deputy coroner, said that according to Mr Lange’s wife, Paulina, her husband had dropped her off at work at 5.55am before heading to his own place of work at Direct Table Foods Ltd, Little Saxham.

The inquest was told that Paul Ives was driving south along Westley Lane when a black Nissan Almera “veered across the carriageway, directly into him.”

Mr Ives, who was seriously injured in the incident, said he remembered a loud bang as the collision took place.

Witnesses on the scene reported how they had seen a man inside the Almera car “groaning”.

However Dr Jeremy Mauger, one of the first doctors on the scene, pronounced Mr Lange dead at 7.15am.

The inquest was told that pathologist Dr Sheila Purdy carried out a post mortem on January 23 and found that death had been caused by multiple injuries.

PC Adam Williams, who inspected both vehicles after the collision, said he could find “no fault or defect that would prevent either driver from seeing, steering or stopping.”

The inquest was told that Pc Andy Fossey, of the Serious Collision Investigation Team, said in his report that the accident had been a “near on head on collision” after Mr Lange’s car had crossed over white lines in the centre of the road.

He added: “Without further evidence I have no opinion as to what had led to loss of control.”

Dr Sharpstone recorded a verdict of death due to injuries received in a road traffic accident.

He added: “I send my condolences to Mr Lange’s family.”