A TEENAGER who was banned from driving died after crashing his car while overtaking three vehicles at 70mph in a 30mph zone, an inquest heard.

Coroner Richard Taylor said Richard "Ricky" Sharp, 18, of Melville Avenue, Barnoldswick, had made a fatal error of judgement fuelled by "youthful exuberance".

Ricky's Fiat collided with a Vauxhall Omega travelling in the opposite direction in Colne Road, Kelbrook, on December 2, 2004.

Seconds earlier he had been seen overtaking several cars at around 70mph, according to police.

Ricky suffered multiple injuries and was found to have 108mg of alcohol in his blood against the legal limit of 80mg.

The inquest was told that Ricky was serving a driving ban despite never holding a licence following a previous conviction.

His mother Jean Brown told the inquest that Ricky had bought a car earlier in the year without her knowledge.

She said when she found out she immediately took the car from him and registered and insured it in her own name but he had continued to drive it secretly.

Mrs Brown added: "As far as I was aware there was no spare key. I took all the documents off him and I took the car.

"Sometime before the accident he asked if one of his friends could borrow the car because his was in the garage and he needed to go to college.

"I let him have it with two conditions that it came straight back to me and that his friend had insurance for it.

"I got the car back on that occasion and then the lad or another lad borrowed it again.

"It was loaned out once more and that's the last time I remember seeing it.

"I would've killed him if I found out. I would've trashed the car."

The inquest was told that Ricky had drunk four pints of beer while out with his girlfriend and friends at the Anchor Pub in Salterforth, the Trawden Arms and the Morris Dancers pub before he attempted to drive home.

Gregory Robinson, a postman, who was making his way home from Manchester to Barnoldswick with his wife and two children, was passed by Ricky's car at around 10.20pm.

He said: "I woke my wife up and said The way they are driving, one of them is going to end up dead'."

The inquest was told that Ricky's car ploughed into a Vauxhall owned by Kevin Rowley, 59, of Burnley, who escaped with minor injuries.

Coroner Mr Taylor, recording a verdict of accidental death, said: "Tragically the consequences of inexperience, alcohol and no doubt youthful exuberance contributed to Ricky's fatal error of judgement."