Alcohol a 'likely factor' in crash that killed two friends near Oundle

The crash happened on a private road in Ashton, near Oundle

The inquest into the deaths of two women who died when a sports car crashed into a tree heard the driver may have been over the alcohol limit.

Amber Pitts, from Peterborough, and Coreisha Mills, from nearby Yaxley, died on a road near Oundle, Northamptonshire, in April 2022.

They had become friends after meeting while working as prison officers.

A toxicology expert told the inquest the amount of alcohol found in Ms Pitts "almost doubles" the risk of a crash.

The women, who were both 22, were travelling on Ashton Wold Drive, an access road into an estate, at about 21:40 BST when the crash happened.

There were several 20mph signs along the road but the inquest was told the car was travelling "considerably over the speed limit" when it lost control during a left-hand turn and hit two trees.

A witness, who lived in Ashton, heard the crash and went outside to check.

She found the BMW flipped over on its side. There was no sign of life or response from inside the vehicle.

Both women were confirmed dead at the scene.

The coroner at Northampton Guildhall recorded verdicts of accidental death

A pathologist later declared that Ms Mills suffered a fatal head injury and Ms Pitts suffered life-threatening injuries to her head, neck and chest on impact.

A post-mortem examination found Ms Pitts had 136mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal driving limit in England is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Dr Stephen Morley, who specialises in toxicology, told the hearing that a level above this limit "about doubles the risk of a road traffic collision".

In a statement, Ms Mill's partner of seven years and the father of her young son said she had told him she was going to meet her friend and that they would not be drinking.

The coroner, Anne Pember, said both Ms Mills and Miss Pitts were young women who "would have looked to have a good long life" ahead of them.

She concluded their deaths were accidental and the manner of driving was likely to have been affected by the level of alcohol Ms Pitts had consumed.