A YORK University student died after a driver attempted a U-turn and forced the car in which she was travelling into the path of an oncoming lorry, an inquest heard.

Rebecca Whitwell, 20, was killed in an accident on the A1237 between the Wigginton Road and Haxby roundabouts on January 13 this year.

An inquest heard yesterday what happened as she was travelling back to York from her home in Stockton-on-Tees for the start of the new university term, driven by friend Michelle Johnson.

The pair were travelling east along York's northern ring road in a Renault Clio when Stephen Forster of Northallerton, driving a red Ford Focus, pulled forward from a lay-by in front of them, on to the carriageway.

"He pulled forward, ten or 20 feet in front of the Clio," said witness Mark Goddard, a lorry driver. The driver swerved violently out of its way immediately, over to the other side, then swinging out of control.

"It spun, the driver was trying to correct it, but she couldn't," said lorry driver Gary Parkes.

Then the car careered straight into the path of Mr Parkes' 17-tonne heavy goods vehicle.

"There was nothing I could do, it just happened so quickly," he said.

The vehicles collided, with massive damage to the Renault Clio's front passenger side.

Ms Whitwell, in the passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining severe head injuries.

Collision investigation unit officer TC David Foster said the "natural reaction" of the driver had sent the car right then left, but had left the passenger side to bear the full impact of the collision. He added that although the brakes of the car were slightly imbalanced, and Mr Parkes had been travelling above the speed limit, the main cause of the collision was the attempted U-turn by Mr Forster.

York coroner Donald Coverdale said: "This sequence of events was triggered by the entrance into the carriageway of Mr Forster's car, even if only one wheel. It is that which has triggered the action which Miss Johnson has had to take."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Updated: 10:53 Thursday, August 07, 2003