A WOMAN was almost three times the drink-drive limit when she ploughed into an oncoming car in Pembrokeshire – killing herself and seriously injuring those in the other vehicle.

Julie Holt, originally from Blackburn, had been going to collect a late-night takeaway when she crashed her Peugeot 206 into a Vauxhall Astra on the A40 near the village of Trecwn at 10.40pm on February 1, 2019.

As well as the alcohol, the 27-year-old had also taken amphetamines and only held a provisional licence.

Miss Holt was driving so fast that the Astra – which had been travelling in the opposite direction – was shunted backwards along the road in the crash.

The car was carrying five people including three children aged 11, ten and six. Several of the occupants sustained serious injuries.

Miss Holt, who was living in Fishguard in West Wales, was driving the six miles to nearby Letterston to collect a takeaway.

Acting coroner’s officer Margaret Julian said that on the evening of her death, Holt video-called her sister, Deborah, and told her she was drinking.

She said: "She also showed her sister a bag containing a substance that she referred to as ‘whizz’ – this is the street name for amphetamines.

"She later informed Deborah that she was going for a takeaway.

"Deborah told her not to drive, but Julie said she couldn’t because her neighbour had her keys."

The hearing was told that Miss Holt had been born and raised in Blackburn and moved to Pembrokeshire in 2014.

The inquest heard she only held a provisional driving licence.

PC David Stacey from Dyfed-Powys Police collision investigation unit said the concentration of alcohol in Holt’s blood was 212 milligrammes – the legal limit is 80.

He also said there had been low levels of amphetamine in her system.

The officer added: “In my opinion for the Peugeot to have pushed the Astra backwards it is safe to assume the Peugeot was travelling at some speed, although that speed cannot be quantified.”

Coroner Mark Layton said: “It’s more likely than not that as a result of excessive speed and impairment through drink, possibly drugs, that Julie Holt has veered into the path of an oncoming vehicle, resulting in a collision whereby she suffered a fatal injury.”

Mr Layton concluded that Miss Holt died as a result of a road traffic collision.