A pizza delivery man died when his car crashed and flipped in a field after making a delivery.

Abdulnasser Khizirpuriamirabad was driving for the Pizza Uno takeaway on Claypath in Durham where he was headed after delivering pizza to a house in Sacriston on the evening of Monday, February 5, when his blue Toyato Aygo came off the B6532.

An inquest into the 32-year-old's death on Friday (September 13) was unable to conclude why his car veered off the road, over a verge and through a hedge before overturning in a field.

The Iraqi man, who had been working as a driver for three years, had delivered pizzas to a house in Sacriston at 9.10pm but did not return to the Durham City shop, the hearing at Crook Coroner’s Court heard.

His car was spotted by its lights by two hours later at 11.23pm by local man Lee Harker who was walking home after a night out having missed the last bus.

Mr Harker rang 999 and pulled Mr Khizirpuriamirabad, of Claypath, from the car to attempt CPR, the inquest heard, but the driver was later pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination concluded he died of a blunt head injury.

The inquest, before Assistant Coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton, heard the owner of Pizza Uno went out looking for his driver when he had failed to return and came across the closed B6532 while trying to trace his steps.

The inquest was held at Crook Coroner's Court.The inquest was held at Crook Coroner's Court. (Image: Northern Echo)

“He (the owner) was concerned that something might have happened as he had been assaulted in the past”, the court was told.

The Iraqi had been driving for all three of the owners shops; Pizza Uno, Pizza Base and Urban Over, all on Claypath; that night.

The 2009-Aygo’s airbags did not deploy and Mr Khizirpuriamirabad was sat on top of his seatbelt instead of wearing it, the inquest heard. He had full insurance, and no issues were found with his car, which was due for an MOT two days later.

Crash investigators said there was no evidence of him attempting to steer or brake after the car veered off the road, or him being distracted or having a medical episode. His phone was found but was unable to be downloaded for analysis.

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Forensic collision investigator PC Jason Coverdale said: “In my opinion the collision occurred when, for reasons that have not been established, the Toyota Aygo left the road to its off side and travelled through a hedgerow into an adjacent field and overturned.”

He was not under the influence of any drink or drugs, toxicological tests said.

Concluding Mr Khizirpuriamirabad died of a road traffic collision, Dr Hamilton said: “Here we have a 32-year-old pizza delivery man.

"He had done his deliveries and was on his way back to the shop when for reasons we have been unable to explain his car veered off the road, without him making any attempt at steering or braking, and into a ditch and overturned and he suffered a severe blunt head injury.”