A FATHER-OF-TWO died instantly when his sports car collided with another car, an inquest heard.

Brian Walker, 34, of Golf Links Crescent, Tadcaster, was said to be driving at excessive speeds along Wighill Lane, Tadcaster, when he crashed into a Ford Mondeo on July 9.

Witness Ann Preston said the Toyota driver was laughing and joking with a man in the passenger seat and had only one hand on the steering wheel.

The Selby inquest heard that Mr Walker, a management consultant, lost control of his silver, open-topped Toyota MR2 as he negotiated a right-hand bend.

He ended up on the wrong side of the road, and collided head-on with a Ford Mondeo travelling in the opposite direction towards Tadcaster.

Mrs Preston, of Aughton, said in a statement that the Toyota's offside wheels were over the centre white lane and he was travelling far too fast.

She estimated his speed at more than 70mph on a road with a speed limit of 60mph.

She said: "He didn't seem to be paying attention and would have hit me if I had not moved over towards the grass verge."

Alexander Coventry, of Cawood Crescent, Church Fenton, said he had stopped in a lay-by on Wighill Lane when he heard the sound of a high-revving engine.

He said: "I saw the MR2 go past and it looked as if he was trying to get somewhere fast."

The driver of the Mondeo, Darren Haw, of Fourth Avenue, York, said he had suffered head trauma in the crash.

This had resulted in memory loss and he could not remember the time or the scene of the accident.

Accident investigator PC David Taylor said the collision was caused by the Toyota entering the bend at a high speed. It lost control and "snaked" as it went on to the wrong side of the road.

North Yorkshire coroner Geoff Fell recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Updated: 10:53 Thursday, October 30, 2003