A TEENAGE father-to-be who died after he crashed his girlfriend's car on a country road had been drinking, an inquest heard.

Banned driver Simon Walker, 18, had taken his partner's Citroen Saxo without her knowledge before the accident on January 4.

An inquest into his death yesterday heard how the teenager had been drinking before getting into the car alone shortly after 1am. He was travelling along Darlington Back Lane, heading towards Stockton from Sadberge, when he lost control at a bend.

The car swerved along a ditch and hit a wooden footbridge, before Mr Walker was thrown into the road where he was discovered unconscious by a passing motorist. He was airlifted to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, but died from head injuries on January 8.

Teesside Coroner's Court heard how Mr Walker lived with his partner, Beth Fowler, also 18, in Fairfield, Stockton, and the couple were about to have a child.

Crash investigator PC Derrick Walton told the inquest tests showed Mr Walker had 135microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 microgrammes.

He said: "It would appear this collision was down to the acts and or omissions of the driver.

"There was no other reason for the vehicle to leave the road. The fact the driver was above the alcohol limit could have been a significant contributory factor to him losing control of the car, or the fact that he was not wearing a seatbelt."

Teesside coroner Michael Sheffield recorded a verdict of accidental death.

At the time of his death, Mr Walker's mother, Dorothy Vickers, told how her son's death had given others a better life after his kidneys were used in two operations in the region.

She said: "Our family is in mourning, but it helps to know that something good has come out of this and others have a better life to look forward to."