A BOXING Day drive ended in tragedy when a Bolton man's new sports car careered off the road and hit a lamp post.

Andrew Wordsworth, 35, was fatally injured in the accident after he had invited friend Adrian Parr to go for a drive, a Bolton inquest was told.

In recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Martin Coppel said it was likely that the car had hit a patch of black ice on Mansell Way, Horwich, and spun out of control.

Mr Wordsworth, of Vale Avenue, Horwich, was overtaking a Citroen being driven by Peter Harrison, of Blackburn, when the accident happened.

Mr Harrison's wife, Astrea, who was in the Citroen, said Mr Wordsworth's TVR had spun in front of their car and skidded down the road.

The TVR hit the kerb, mounted a grass verge and hit a lamp post on the driver's side.

Mr Wordsworth's wife Julie, 34, said her husband had been a good driver who had never had an accident. Her husband had not drunk any alcohol before the drive.

Mr Parr sustained minor injuries.

Police motorcyclist Sgt Joseph Hine said there were icy patches on the road with a blue sheen.

The accident happened at 2.10pm on Boxing Day.

Mr Coppel asked if both carriageways had been salted. Bolton Council group engineer Richard Wilson said the stretch of road had been gritted between 5pm and 6.40pm the previous night.

Gritter machine driver James Toole said the road had been treated but added that some patches may not have been.

He said: "You can never say categorically that every yard of the road is gritted."

In recording his verdict, Mr Coppel said he was satisfied that Mr Wordsworth had not been driving the TVR in a fast or reckless way.

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