TWO drivers who raced each other until one spun out of control killing a passenger have been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

The dead man, Kumar Zaman, was a passenger in the car driven by Abdul Haque Ishaq, which spun and flipped over smashing into an entrance pillar. Austin Hacking was the driver of the other car involved in the race.

Hacking, aged 26, of Crompton Way, Bolton and 31-year-old Ishaq, of Langdon Close, Bolton, had both denied causing death by dangerous driving during their trial at Bolton Crown Court.

But yesterday a jury first convicted Hacking and later returned a guilty verdict on Ishaq after more than four hours of deliberation.

Zaman died after the Honda Prelude, driven by his cousin Ishaq, crashed on Chorley New Road on May 30 last year. The horrific smash left Zaman dead and the Honda a twisted wreck.

The accident happened after the two car drivers raced each other along Chorley New Road each overtaking the other.

Police estimated the speeds of the cars at between 60 to 80mph but both drivers claim they were only

travelling at 40mph.

The aftermath of the crash left Ishaq with severe injuries and in intensive care for a week recovering from broken ribs, problems with breathing and severe bruising.

Both drivers had claimed that they were travelling around 40mph in a 30mph zone and that they were not playing a "cat and mouse" game with each other.

The accident happened when Ishaq, along with his cousin and two other friends, was driving along Chorley New Road intending to show a friend from Glasgow the Reebok Stadium.

Hacking was driving his car, a Rover, along Chorley New Road, on his way to visit a friend who lived just a few minutes away.

In evidence Hacking said he was trying to overtake the Honda but the driver wouldn't let him in and he accelerated to try to get in front.

The other driver accelerated and as he approached Hacking on the road near New Hall Lane he braked. He saw the other driver lose control of the back end, swerve and then crash.

Ishaq told the court he tried and failed to correct the loss of control. He said the car then went into the kerb and said he couldn't remember the car rotating or rolling.

The next thing he remembered was the car being upside down and seeing his friends in the back groaning. He said no one in the car had been wearing a seat-belt.

Judge John Roberts adjourned the case until December 8 while pre-sentence reports are prepared.