A DRIVER who died in a head-on crash which also killed an 86-year-old widow and her daughter had been smoking cannabis, an inquest heard.

Forensic tests showed swimming instructor Steven Clark had the drug in his blood and urine following the accident in January last year.

The incensed family of the two women are now to write to Home Secretary David Blunkett condemning his decision to downgrade the drug.

Grandmother Agnes Franey, of Kensington Gardens, Ferryhill, and her 54-year-old daughter Anne Taylor, from Market Street, also Ferryhill, died from injuries sustained in the crash.

They had been travelling in a car driven by Mrs Taylor's husband, Eric, a 58-year-old pest controller, who has not worked since the accident.

Mrs Taylor's sister, Kathleen Austin, condemned moves to downgrade cannabis from a class B to a class C drug.

She said: "My mother and sister should have been safe. They should not have died like this. What happened to them was horrific and it has devastated our family.

"My mother had never seen a drug. She was a lovely old lady who never went far from her home."

She added: "What people do in their own homes is one thing, but when they get in a car after smoking cannabis, they risk other people's lives.

"It is too late for us, but I don't want this to happen to another family. I have two young boys and I want the message to get through to them and other young people."

The accident happened on the C36 road between Chilton and Kirk Merrington, just before 7pm on January 26, last year.

Mr Clark, 20, of West Chilton Terrace, Chilton, near Ferryhill, died as a result of multiple injuries. The front seat passenger in his car, 19-year-old Simon Pendleton, of Ruby Avenue, Chilton, lost his right leg.

Witness Paula Clayton told the inquest at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court that she saw Mr Clark's car, a Peugeot 206, on the wrong side of the road.

Seconds later, the Peugeot hit the Taylors' car at an angle, which caused it to flip up a low embankment and end up on its roof.

Traffic Constable Dale Cowey read out a forensic analysis report which found cannabis in Mr Clark's blood and urine, but added that it was unclear how long the drug had been in his system. Earlier that evening, Mr Clark had been taking swimming lessons at Spennymoor Leisure Centre. Among his pupils had been Mrs Franey's granddaughter, Sarah, now aged nine.

Coroner Colin Penna recorded a verdict of accidental death.