Fatal car crash 'accidental'

A verdict of accidental death has been recorded on three teenage friends who died in a head on crash as they returned home from a night out.

The three 17-year-olds were killed when their car collided with another vehicle on the A49 near Ludlow in August last year.

Tests on the body of the driver, George Mantle, revealed he was well below the legal alcohol limit, although small traces of cannabis were found in his blood.

Shropshire coroner Tony Sibcey said on Tuesday the sympathy of everyone would go to the parents for the "unimaginable grief" they had suffered.

White light

The crash happened near the Cookhouse Pub at Bromfield in August last year.

Mr Mantle and his two passengers - Matthew Evans and Charlotte Mountford - were all former pupils at Ludlow School.

The inquest at Ludlow Racecourse heard on Monday the three friends had been to a pub in Church Stretton before visiting a friend.

Their Citroen Saxo was split in two when it collided with a Vauxhall Vectra driven by 71-year-old Brian Day.

Mr Day said all he remembered before the impact was seeing a white light suddenly emerging from behind another car coming the other way.

Police accident investigator Pc Chris Taylor told the inquest that Mr Day's vehicle was in the correct lane when it was hit by the youngsters' car being driven in the opposite direction.