Father was third member of family to die on roads

An inquest into the death of Nicholas Tidswell concluded on 21 August

A 35-year-old man who died when he lost control of his car entering a dual carriageway had struggled with the loss of two family members in other crashes, an inquest heard.

Nicholas Tidswell had cannabis, cocaine and alcohol in his system when his Kia Sorento overturned on Mayo Avenue in Bradford on 19 November 2022.

His teenage brother died in a motorcycle collision in 2003 and their 42-year-old father was killed in another crash three years later.

Bradford Coroner's Court was told that Mr Tidswell's GP had recorded that he was using drugs to distract himself from "suicidal" thoughts.

Bereavement counselling

Reading from the medical report, assistant coroner Angela Brocklehurst said: "Mr Tidswell was depressed in the weeks leading to his death. He had lost his brother and his father in road collisions and had bereavement counselling as a result.

"He blamed himself for his father's death. He was having thoughts to end his life and he was taking drugs to distract himself from this."

However, there were no "specific plans" to end his own life, Ms Brocklehurst added.

She confirmed that Mr Tidswell was a regular user of cocaine.

A toxicology report detected the drug in his body at the time of death, as well as cannabis and levels of alcohol that were around twice the legal limit for driving.

Mr Tidswell's car was found upside down on the central reservation

'Slurring his words'

The court heard that Mr Tidswell had been driving in Bradford with his nephew, Anthony Howard, in the hours before his death, but Mr Howard had left the vehicle before the collision took place.

Mr Howard said his uncle was "slurring his words" when they met and "there was a large bottle of Budweiser on the central console".

Mohammed Naziq, who witnessed the collision, said he saw the car "somersault three or four times" and had to drive onto the pavement to avoid it.

Paramedics found Mr Tidswell unresponsive with a serious head injury and he died at 03:45 BST.

'No seatbelt'

West Yorkshire Police forensic collision investigator Michael Pennells told the inquest that Mr Tidswell was not wearing a seatbelt and was travelling at 58mph in a 30mph zone.

"This led to the driver losing directional control of the vehicle whilst turning from Manchester Road onto Mayo Avenue," he said.

The court heard that the car landed on its roof after hitting a metal post.

Ms Brocklehurst said: "Nicky died very, very quickly. He did not suffer pain and that is a mercy to all of us."

She recorded a conclusion of death in a road traffic collision.

Mr Tidswell's sister, Georgie, said: "He was the best, he was loving and caring, he would do anything for you."

Mr Tidswell's brother Antony was 18 when he died in a motorbike collision in Dewsbury, leaving a partner and two baby sons.

In 2006, their father Ian Tidswell was killed when his car crashed through a fence in East Bierley. He was a process controller at the Federal Mogul plant in Bradford. Nicholas was 18 at the time.

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