A MAN who died while transporting a vintage car used in the ITV1 series Heartbeat was seen slumped over his steering wheel seconds before he crashed, an inquest heard.

John Norton Harrison, 63, died six months ago from the injuries he sustained when his vehicle collided with a Ford Focus on the A19, near Shipton by Beningborough, North Yorkshire.

That morning, however, Mr Harrison had commented to both his wife, Sheila and work colleague Peter Egan, that he was feeling better after a run of ill health.

Coroner Michael Oakley recorded a verdict of accidental death at County Hall, Northallerton yesterday.

For years, Mr Harrison had hired out his own classic cars to television production teams and on the morning of October 1 was carrying the Ford Anglia used in the police series on his Mitsubishi pick-up van, near his home in Shipton Lane, Wiggington.

The driver of the Ford Focus, William Smith, said he saw Mr Harrison slumped over the steering wheel before attempting to mount the grass verge and avoid a collision.

Post-mortem examinations showed Mr Harrison had a significantly enlarged heart, which could have caused him to collapse. He died from the injuries sustained in the accident.

Mr Egan, who was travelling behind Mr Harrison when the accident happened, said: "He said to me that he felt a bit better than he had been and I could see he had colour in his cheeks."