A DRIVER died of a broken neck as he was thrown out of his somersaulting car.

Police estimate Mark Ellis's car rolled over at least four times after careering down an embankment and through a fence into a farmer's field, near Guisborough.

An inquest held in Middlesbrough yesterday heard that when his MG ZR ran off the A171, the 34-year-old had 563 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood - equivalent to more than seven times the maximum drink-driving limit.

Pathologist Dr Jan Lowe told Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield the volume of alcohol in his blood would have been sufficient to kill other people of alcohol poisoning.

Paul Silk, landlord of The Huntsman pub, Guisborough, told the inquest his partner had warned the boozing carpet fitter about his drinking.

Mr Ellis, of Whitby Road, Guisborough, would often leave his works van in the pub car park and get a taxi home.

But on the night he died, in March, he decided to drive himself after a heavy drinking bout at The Huntsman.

Mr Silk said it was not unusual for Mr Ellis to first appear in the bar in his work clothes, down a pint, go home and then return, taking his seat in the "regulars' corner'' until closing time.

"He would often sit alone and drink for hours. He rarely missed a week night,'' he said.

On the night Mr Ellis died, " he was drunk but not paralytic,'' Mr Silk said. "He would never get to the stage where he was falling over drunk.''

Guisborough resident Colin Kendal was travelling along the A171 road to work when he saw a vehicle's red tail light in a field. He reversed back up the carriageway, saw that a car had crashed in a field and telephoned 999 on his mobile.

"I did shout out, but no one responded,'' Mr Kendal said.

He was joined by PC Rachel Thrower and together they clambered down the embankment into the field.

Mr Ellis had not been wearing a seat belt and his car door had either been left ajar or open when his car ran off the road.

Mr Sheffield recorded a verdict that Mr Ellis had died as a result of an accident.