A MAN died of multiple injuries after being hit by car in Preston, an inquest heard.

Leon David Bulger, 22, of Halsbury Street, Frenchwood, Preston, was crossing London Road when the incident happened, at around 11pm, on Sunday, November 7, last year.

Preston Coroner's Court heard that a Honda Civic car was being driven by Zakir Patel, 23, of Deepdale Road, Preston, who was travelling with his wife, Zubeda, and her two friends.

Mrs Patel told the court that she thought her husband was driving about 25 to 30mph and in the right hand lane.

She said she was in the front passenger seat and looking behind talking to her friends when her husband slammed his breaks on. Mrs Patel said: "My husband was concentrating on driving and I was talking to my friends in the back. All of a sudden I felt the car brake and there was a body on the car.

Mrs Patel told the court that she was the first to get out of the car and saw Mr Bulger lying in the road near the pavement, seriously injured.

Her husband got out of the car and asked someone to call an ambulance, then fainted.

Accident investigation officer for Lancashire Police, PC Stephen Wilson, said he arrived at the crash scene, near to the junction of Mountjoy Street, within 30 minutes.

He told the court that conditions were good and that the road was well lit.

He said: "The absence of tyre marks indicates the driver didn't see the pedestrian until the last minute.

"It's my opinion that the driver should have observed the pedestrian earlier and taken appropriate action."

Consultant pathologist at RPH, Dr Tim Dawson, said a blood test revealed Mr Bulger had drunk the equivalent to five pints of lager. Coroner Howard McCann recorded a verdict of accidental death.

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