A PUB-goer died after he was hit by a car as he tried to cross a dual carriageway to meet his fiance, an inquest was told.

Harry Wilson, 55, from Chopwell, near Gateshead, died of multiple injuries after leaving the Chester Moor pub, at Chester Moor, on February 12, where he had gone with Victoria Scott, from Yetholm Avenue, Chester-le-Street.

The inquest, held at County Hall, Durham on Tuesday, heard that Miss Scott decided to leave to go for a meal in Chester-le-Street. She told the inquest she waited for ten minutes outside, hoping he would come out to join her. But when he did not appear, she caught a bus to Chester-le-Street.

The inquest heard that Mr Wilson later walked on his own from the pub, situated on the A167, to the bus stop at the other side of the dual carriage-way.

He crossed the first lane, in front of a white transit van which slowed down for him, but then stepped out in front of a driver who was overtaking the van.

The driver of the van, Peter Jackson, told the inquest: "The driver seemed to try and pull out to the kerb to avoid him, but there was nothing he could do."

Pathologist Dr Douglas Maloney said Mr Wilson had 314mg of alcohol per decilitre of blood, enough to make him 'grossly unco-ordinated,' with 'gross impairment of cognitive thought.'

The inquest heard how there is no pedestrian crossing over the road near the pub and there has been a number of accidents with pedestrians in the past.

North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle recorded a verdict of accidental death.