THE death of a Penygroes man who died after being hit by a car while walking home from a pub was accidental, an inquest has heard.

Ian Williams, of Bryncwar Road, was walking home from Llandeilo along the A476 at 8.50pm on August 29 when the former landlord of the Cross Hands Hotel was hit by a Vauxhall Corsa driven by Richard Craig Price Bunford.

Giving a statement at Llanelli Town Hall, Mr Bunford said he was on his way to work at Llanelli’s Morrisons when there was a loud bang on the window and “glass was going everywhere”.

Mr Bunford said he grabbed the steering wheel firmly to try and gain control of the car, with no idea what he had hit.

He stopped his car a quarter of a mile after the collision and jogged back, saying he was “horrified” to find a man lying on the ground not moving.

Mr Bunford, who has lived in the area for 15 years and knew it well, was in such a state of shock he was unable to tell the operators at first where he was.

The inquest heard Mr Bunford had left plenty of time to get to his 10pm shift, and was not in a rush.

Coroner Mark Layton said: “From the evidence I have heard it is clear that Mr Williams was walking home, he had been to the pub and consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and been struck by a car.

“The road was unlit and Mr Williams was on the road unsteady on his feet.

“It seems to me the collision was unavoidable and was an accident.”