A NEW Forest man died when he was thrown from the passenger seat of a car in a horrific drink drive crash, an inquest heard.

Alan Haywood died after his daughter's boyfriend lost control of a green VW Golf on a bend before it smashed into an embankment and overturned.

The driver, Michael Legg, had been driving at nearly double the 40mph speed limit on their way home to Fordingbridge from Southampton.

Legg, who had been living with Mr Haywood and his wife Pauline at their home in Waverley Road, was one and a half times the legal drink drive limit at the time.

Neither Mr Haywood, 48, nor Legg, 28, were wearing a seat belt and both were thrown from the vehicle in the crash.

Southampton Coroner's Court heard Mr Haywood and Legg had gone out for some drinks on the evening of January 6.

The crash happened shortly before midnight between Brook and Fordingbridge as they returned home.

Although there were no witnesses, another driver, Andrew Puttick, said in a statement that the car being driven by Legg had overtaken his own VW Golf at around 70mph.

The court heard Mr Puttick lost sight of the car around a bend, but soon came across it again following its crash.

The car was lying on its roof, with Mr Haywood lying close to the car.

Legg was lying across the top of a barbed wire fence, also nearby.

Accident investigator PC David Whiting told the court Legg had lost control of the Golf on a bend, over-corrected and the car turned broadside before climbing an embankment, hitting a tree and crossing back over the road.

It came to rest on its roof on a barbed wire fence and wall.

A post mortem examination revealed that Mr Haywood had suffered an "unsurvivable" skull fracture as a result of the crash.

Legg admitted causing death by careless driving when over the drink drive limit and having no insurance at Southampton Crown Court on September 14.

He was jailed for three years and four months, and banned from driving for four years.

Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Haywood's widow said after the inquest: "I think I was a little bit disappointed with the outcome, but his the coroner's hands were tied."

She wanted to thank the police officers involved in handling the case, in particular accident investigation officer PS John Noble and Family Liaison Officer PC Robert Coulson.