A CORONER has warned of the dangers of walking on York's Outer ring road at night after the death of an 18-year-old man.

York Coroner Donald Coverdale spoke out at the inquest of Matthew Wilson, who suffered fatal head injuries after being struck on the A1237 eastbound carriageway near the Clifton Moor shopping complex, by a Rover car driven by police officer Nicholas Wallen in the early hours of April 8.

Mr Wilson had been out drinking with friends at the nearby Ikon Diva nightclub and appeared to be "crouching or kneeling" in the centre of the lane prior to impact, the inquest heard.

The family were at his bedside when he died a day later in Leeds General Infirmary.

Mr Wallen, a police officer stationed at Chapeltown, in Leeds, told the inquest he was on his way home to Stillington when the accident occurred.

He had negotiated Tesco roundabout when a passing HGV flashed its lights as if to warn him of danger. "I couldn't see anything," he said. "But all of a sudden I saw a young man crouching in the road 15 yards in front of me.

"I slammed on my brakes as hard as I could - I couldn't swerve because there were cars at the other side of the road."

Mr Wallen said he immediately got out and felt for Mr Wilson's pulse.

He pulled him safely to the side of the road, put him into the crash position and placed a coat over him. "I tried flagging down passing cars, but they wouldn't stop and help," he said.

"Two girls in a car stopped, but they were laughing and one of them slapped me around the face before driving off."

Mr Wallen, who was driving within the legal limit, eventually managed to stop a taxi driver who raised the alarm.

Mr Coverdale, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, told the inquest that Mr Wilson's dark clothing and the fact he was crouching down made him much less visible.

He said: "This case highlights the danger of walking on the A1237 at night. It's not a road upon which pedestrians should try and walk as there are no footpath crossing areas or lighting.

"A simple precaution to take is to wear bright clothing - you stand a better chance of being seen."

Mr Wilson, a former Canon Lee School pupil, who lived with his parents in Brecksfield, Skelton, was earlier described by his sister, Kelly, as: "Cute and very cheeky. He always had a smile and something nice to say. Everybody loved him."

Updated: 11:59 Friday, November 30, 2001