A TEACHER who complained he was feeling tired fell asleep at the wheel of his car before it drifted across the road smashing into an HGV, an inquest heard.

The hearing was told Alan Squire, who told colleagues he had fallen asleep at the wheel twice before, was driving home on the last day of term in July 2005, when his Skoda Octavia drifted across the A680 Rochdale Road, Edenfield, ploughing head-on into a delivery wagon.

Yesterday an inquest at Burnley magistrates was told the 54-year-old, of Waingate Road, Rawtenstall, suffered severe chest injuries and died at the scene.

Today, a teaching union said Mr Squire was a tragic example of the strains teachers are under.

Before setting off home that day from his job as head of science at Matthew Moss High School, Rochdale, he slumped on a stool and told a colleague he was tired because of the heat, the court was told.

Driver James Dick, an HGV licence holder since 1968 and qualified driving instructor, said he was travelling towards Rochdale when he saw Mr Squire's Skoda come over the brow of a hill before veering into his path.

He said he braked and pulled as far to the left as he could before he hit a wall, and Mr Squire's vehicle crashed into his wagon.

Mr Dick said: "There was nothing I could do.

"I tried to get as far away as I could, but with the brick wall there I could not get that far across.

"He took my front wheel out, took all the side of the battery and fuel tank and the suspension out.

"If it not had been for the wheel going under the vehicle, my vehicle would have gone over."

PC Brendan Kellett, of the accident investigation unit, said skid marks from the lorry indicated Mr Dick was travelling just under 50mph on the 60mph road.

But he did not know how fast Mr Squire was travelling because there were no skid marks.

He told the court the reason for the crash was Mr Squire had fallen asleep, or was suffering from a medical condition.

Pathologist Walid Salman said he carried out extensive tests and found no signs of any illness.

Dr Salman said the most probable explanation was Mr Squire had fallen asleep.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor said: "He was a conscientious man, under quite a lot of stress. It appears he was tired and it appears he had previously been overcome with tiredness. It appears he fell asleep and that proved fatal."

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Squire's brothers, twins David and Brian Squire, 47, said Mr Dick was not responsible for the accident and the family were trying to move on.

The NAS/UWT said Mr Squire's complaints of exhaustion were not a surprise.

Dick Greenfield, the union's executive member for Lancashire, said: "These things should never happen.

"There is a push within teaching to reduce the workload and this is a tragic example of how the pressures and strains can get too much for people."

Former colleague Alasdair Maciver said: "He is sorely missed and we really notice that Alan is not here.

"The fact we have yet to find his replacement speaks volumes for the sort of man he was."