A SUCCESSFUL sales manager died after being thrown from his car while more than twice over the legal drink-drive limit.

Gary Walker, aged 37, was not wearing a seatbelt when his Volkswagen Golf mounted a grass verge before rolling over on the East Lancashire Road in October last year.

A Bolton inquest heard that Mr Walker had been driving home to Atherton after a night out with friends in Manchester when the accident happened close to the junction with Moorside Road, Swinton. Witnesses said that Mr Walker's vehicle had undertaken a taxi on the dual carriageway shortly before the accident, but he had not been travelling "enormously fast."

As the vehicles approached a slip road leading to the M61, Mr Walker's car crossed a carriageway reservation and a small pedestrian footpath before hitting the grass verge and going into a "barrel roll."

Glasgow-born Mr Walker was thrown from the vehicle, suffering multiple injuries, including a "severe complex fracture" of the spine and a fractured skull. A pathologist's examination showed that the keen football fan had 218mg of alcohol in his blood, more than twice the legal limit of 85mg.

It was also found that Mr Walker, of Meadowbank Avenue, Atherton, had taken drugs in the days before his death.

Statements from friends showed that he had visited a number of bars in Manchester on the night of his death, but they did not note how much Mr Walker had been drinking, and had no idea he had decided to drive home. Police accident investigators ruled out the possibility that the actions of another vehicle had caused Mr Walker to drive on to the grass verge.

Coroner Jennifer Leeming said it was more likely that Mr Walker had suffered a "momentary lapse of concentration."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, she added: "While every death is tragic, Gary's death is particularly so.

"This is a young man who has achieved a great deal in a short time and worked very hard.

"Clearly he will be very sadly missed by his large number of friends."