FRIENDS have told how a man died when a sheep ran on to a road and forced them to swerve out of the way.

An inquest heard how Daniel James Thompson, 20, of Whalley Road, Sabden, died from head injuries following the collision in Clitheroe Road, Sabden, in June.

The inquest in the Ribble Valley Council Chamber, Clitheroe, was told Daniel was the back seat passenger in Land Rover driven by his pal, Nicholas Walsh, of Crowtrees Road, Sabden.

On the night of the accident they had been at the Wellsprings Inn, Nick o'Pendle, where they met Lydia Dyson, of Clitheroe Road, Sabden.

Nicholas had not been drinking and the only alcohol he had consumed that day was a half-pint of lager at about 5.30pm.

The three friends left the pub at around 11pm and drove towards the village in Nicholas's Land Rover Discovery, when they collided with a sheep. Nicholas, 26, said: "I saw a white flash and that's all I can remember. I was driving at about 35mph and I could not have avoided hitting the sheep."

The inquest heard that 17-year-old Lydia had run 50 yards with serious injuries to a house on the outskirts of the village to get help for her two friends who had been thrown from the vehicle.

"The sheep just ran out into the road and we went onto the banking. I don't remember much after that except running to a house to get help," she said.

Householder John Michael Hughes, of Clitheroe Road, Sabden, said he was awoken by banging on his front door, where he found Lydia in a distressed and injured state, and alerted the emergency services.

Daniel was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, where he died 24 hours later from serious head injuries. Nicholas and Lydia were also taken to hospital with serious arm and facial injuries.

PC Brendan Kellet, of the Lancashire Constabulary Accident Investigation Unit, said the speed limit on the stretch of road where the accident occurred was 60mph.

"There is no evidence to suggest the driver was speeding and the vehicle was certainly roadworthy," he said.

The inquest also heard tests on Nicholas Walsh after the accident had revealed he was not over the limit for alcohol intake.

East Lancashire coroner Michael Singleton gave a verdict of accidental death on Daniel and exonerated Nicholas from any blame for his friend's death.

"A very experienced driver would have been unable to do anything differently and the outcome would have been exactly the same," he said.