A MECHANIC was not wearing a seatbelt when he died after ‘losing control’ of a customer's car while checking for a fault, an inquest heard.

The inquest into the death of former Birchwood resident Carl Greenaway took place at Warrington Coroner's Court last Wednesday.

The dad was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision, which involved the Lotus Elise he was driving and a Vauxhall Zafira, on Birchwood Way on June 7 at 7.45pm.

The inquest heard that Stuart Griffin took his car to Carl because of an issue with his Lotus that he owned for two years.

He said: "Carl has been a mechanic to my family for more than 10 years.

"I did not use the car for any particularly long journeys – I told him I was looking to sell the car but needed this issue sorting out.

"He told me to bring it in and I did.

"On June 7 Carl called me, he told me he would have to run the car to check why the water was being lost.

"It was agreed Carl would drive the car as the fault would not be found if not."

The 36-year-old was driving to the home of his partner Nina Walsh.

She said the pair had 'planned a future together and had planned to get married'.

She added: "Carl was a positive guy and was able to cheer me up really easily if I had a bad day at work."

Cyclist Jenna Willis saw the Lotus on Admirals Road shortly before the incident.

In a statement read out in court, she said: "I do not drive myself but I know the speed limit on that road is 30mph.

"I would say that the road was damp but at the time it was not raining."

David Hallam, driver of the Vauxhall Zafira, had parked up as he was trying to locate his daughter.

He said: "I parked at the bus stop on Birchwood Way.

I heard a bang, I did not see the Lotus prior to the approach.

"I approached the vehicle to see if the driver was ok.

"Nobody was about when I first got there, it was just me.

"My car was off completely, with the hazards on."

Carl's father, Barry, highlighted his son's passion for cars.

He said: "As he was growing up he used to work with me on cars, I did it as more of a hobby.

"He used to go rally driving and he liked that. He was quite a good driver."

Collision investigator PC John Edwards calculated that the Lotus would have been travelling 'in the region of 70mph'.

"There were no faults found in the vehicle that could have contributed to the collision," he said.

"Mr Greenaway was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision.

"Harsh acceleration from the roundabout enabled him to reach 70mph.

"Once the Lotus started to rotate it would have been very difficult, or impossible, for Mr Greenaway to regain control."

Coroner Claire Welch confirmed the medical cause of death as multiple injuries.

"My findings are that on June 7 Carl Greenaway was driving a Lotus Elise owned by one of his customers while not wearing a seatbelt," she said.

"As a result of harsh acceleration, he lost control.

"My conclusion is that Carl Greenaway died in a road traffic collision."