A PARTY political gesture on General Election night led to a chain of events resulting in the death of man in a road tragedy.

Karl Rowe, 21, died from severe head injuries suffered in an accident involving a minibus as he was walking on the A181 near Thornley, in east Durham, in early May.

An inquest was told Mr Rowe, of Tweed Close, in Peterlee, east Durham, was being driven home by his brother, Craig, who picked him up from a night out in Durham.

They saw a vehicle ahead which they believed was a Labour party campaign bus and Karl was dared to make a gesture as they went past.

But after leaning out of the window to make the two-fingered salute, Karl believed his glasses must have fallen from the car.

Mr Rowe told the hearing, in Chester-le-Street: "At the next roundabout I turned the car round and pulled up in a lay-by, more or less opposite where we had passed the bus."

Mr Rowe said he told his brother to remain in the car while he went to look for the spectacles, which he thought must be on the road.

But Karl did get out of the car and was on the A181 when a minibus, carrying people home from a night out, struck him at an estimated 60mph, which is the speed limit on the road

The inquest was told minibus driver John Laws, who was not at the hearing, told police that "an object" suddenly appeared in front of him, and although he tried to break, he could not avoid a collision.

Police traffic officer, PC Stephen Crampton, said the driver's account appeared to conform with those of bus passengers, and he added that no charges are to be brought against Mr Laws.

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