TWO young men were killed when their Ford Fiesta ploughed into an Amman Valley pub after the driver lost control of the vehicle, a Llanelli inquest has been told.

Deputy Carmarthenshire coroner Pauline Mainwaring heard how driver Andrew Kent, 21, who died instantly in the crash along with passenger Dean Llewellyn, was more than two and a half times over the drink-drive limit at the time of the crash in the early hours of May 5.

Verdicts of accidental death were recorded on youth worker Mr Kent and unemployed labourer Mr Llewellyn, 20, whose deaths shocked a community where both were well known.

Within hours of the tragedy, the crash site in Glanaman was covered in cards and floral tributes from grieving friends and relatives.

In a statement Mr Llewellyn’s family said: “He has been taken away from the family he adored before his time.”

The court heard how Mr Kent, of Manselton, Swansea, had picked up Mr Llewellyn, who lived at Heol Llwchwr, Parcyrhun, from an Ammanford club and the pair were driving along the A474 at 2.45am when the crash happened.

Accident investigator PC Michael John said marks in the road indicated the Fiesta was travelling from Ammanford in the direction of Brynaman when it went into a right-hand bend and crossed over the offside lane and clipped a kerb before going out of control.

“It then appears to have rotated anti-clockwise back onto its correct side, struck a raised kerb and gone into a lamppost and overturned before its roof struck the side of the Cross Keys pub,” he said.

Mr John estimated the car was travelling at around 52mph when it collided with the lamppost. The legal speed limit at that spot is 30mph.

“There are many reasons why a vehicle can stray from its intended path,” he told the court. “I’ve seen evidence to suggest both the driver and his passenger were under the influence of alcohol.

“There is no reason why a vehicle travelling at the correct speed of 30mph should go out of control at a spot such as this where you cannot see oncoming traffic – it seems foolhardy.”

A post-mortem report revealed Mr Kent’s blood contained 210mg of alcohol – the legal driving limit is 80. Mr Llewelyn’s blood sample gave a reading of 115.

Despite wearing seatbelts, both men died on impact. A pathlogist’s report revealed both sustained fractured skulls.

Summing up, Ms Mainwaring said the level of alcohol in Mr Kent’s blood may have explained the manner of his driving.

“This was an extremely tragic and sad incident which resulted in the deaths of two young adults,” she added.