A MOTORIST who died after a collision while heading the wrong way down a dual carriageway was over the drink drive limit at the time.

Members of Kevin Wile's family told a Durham inquest it was "out of character" for him to drive after drinking.

The hearing heard how the 45-year-old married father-of-one drove his Ford Fiesta on to the A19, travelling in a south-erly direction down the northbound exit slip road, at Cold Hesledon, near Murton, County Durham, during the even-ing of Sunday, July 1.

Motorists told how they veered to avoid the car, which did not appear to brake or steer clear of oncoming traffic.

After travelling two-thirds of a mile on the northbound carriageway, the car collided head-on with a Volkswagen Golf, which was driven by Claire Thomas, 28, of Oxford.

Both cars were extensively damaged, but Miss Thomas and her passenger escaped with whiplash injuries.

Mr Wile, of the Avenue, Hetton-le-Hole, Wearside, suffered a broken neck and died in Middlesbrough General Hospital 12 days later.

PC John Knaggs, of Dur-ham Police, said a blood sample taken from Mr Wile show-ed 149 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.