A GREEK driver has admitted he was behind the wheel of the car which left a 25-year-old East Lancs holidaymaker dead in a hit-and-run crash.

The admission revealed at the inquest of Brett Walmsley today has prompted the Darwen soldier’s family to demand ‘justice’ for his son.

Lance Bombardier Walmsley, who lived in Greenway Street, died in July 2007, but no action is yet believed to have been taken against the driver.

His father Stuart Walmsley said he wanted driver Georgios Chalkias to go to jail.

But the driver said in a statement to the hearing that the solider had ‘stepped in front of his car’.

The inquest at Blackburn Registrar’s Office heard that Brett died from head injuries in Halkidiki, a northern Greek tourist resort.

He had been making his way back to his hotel after enjoying a bottle of wine a friend at a nearby bar.

Brett was strucky by Mr Chalkias’ car while crossing a country road.

Chalkias, 22, told of moment in the statement and said: “It was about 2.15am and it was raining hard and I was passing hotels and bars.

“Out of nowhere there was a thud but I did not know if what I hit was an animal or a human.

“I completely panicked and with the thought it might be a person I carried straight on.

“I just froze up. I had no idea where I was going.”

Mr Chalkias handed himself into police the next day.

He intially lied to officers that his car had been stolen until he ‘regained his composure and realised what had happened’.

He said: “When they told me what I hit was a person and that he had died I was shocked.

“I wasn’t travelling very fast and I hadn’t had anything to drink.

“I believe the pedestrian was responsible for the accident. He suddenly appeared.

“I’m extremely sorry for the accident but unfortunately nothing can be done now.”

Mr Walmsley’s holiday companian Bombardier Jake Heath was made aware of the accident an hour and a half later and identified the body.

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said it was tragic and ironic that Brett had died while enjoying himself after serving on the frontline.

Mr Singleton told Mr Walmsley’s father: “Your son is no less of a hero for the circumstances of his death.”

After the case Brett’s father, said: “We will be going out when the court case is on because I want to see justice done. I want him punished.

“I want him to go to jail. What he did was wrong. When you hit something you immediately brake. It’s a natural reaction.

“This is not finished.”

Brett, a member of the 47th Royal Artillery regiment, was on a break from serving six months working with NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo.