AN INVESTIGATION has failed to explain a head-on crash between a car and a lorry which killed a 21-year-old man.

Nottingham Coroner's Court heard James Morley died days after the incident on the A453 near Clifton.

An inquest heard his silver Peugeot crossed on to the opposite side of the road before it collided with the lorry, driven by Kevin Lusted.

The lorry veered to the other side of the road after the impact before toppling over.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Notts Assistant Deputy Coroner Mairin Casey said she could not explain why Mr Morley's car crossed the white lines instead of following a curve in the road.

She said: "I have not heard from any witnesses an explanation why James would have not followed the line of the bend rather than pursuing a direct line, crossing the mid-section of the road."

Turning to Mr Morley's family, she added: "Sadly for this family, they go away not knowing much more than when you came [to the inquest]."

After the crash on the morning of August 18 last year, Mr Morley, of Grosvenor Close, Radcliffe-on-Trent, was taken to QMC.

He died a week later and a post-mortem examination revealed he had sustained a severe brain injury and a fractured skull.

The inquest heard there were no faults with Mr Morley's car and there was no evidence he had been talking on his mobile phone.

Police investigators described road conditions at the time of the crash as fine.

PC Colin Thomas told the inquest the impact was "very severe" and could have led to parts of the lorry striking Mr Morley after piercing the car.

He added there was little lorry driver Mr Lusted could have done to avoid the crash. He had to be pulled out of his cab after the lorry overturned.

Giving evidence, Mr Lusted, who had been travelling from his home in Stafford to Nottingham, said there were only two or three seconds from when he first saw the car until the impact, which he described as "violent".

He said: "It just came straight across. Apart from blind panic, I pulled up to the left-hand side to keep away from the vehicle. But within two to three seconds that was it."

Two drivers travelling behind Mr Lusted both said they could not explain why the crash happened.

marcus.boocock@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk