THE wife of a talented Penketh musician has said that she will never really understand how her husband died after an inquest on Wednesday.

Howard New, aged 42, was killed on September 3 last year after losing control of his car and colliding with another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.

Mr New, who has a nine-year-old daughter Scarlett, was driving to work in Knutsford on the A50 Warrington Road when police believe he must have taken a left hand bend too quickly and could not regain control of the car after overcorrecting it.

Daniel Kaye, who was driving the Audi that hit Mr New, said: “I saw a black Fiesta coming round the corner.

“The moment I saw it I knew there was a problem, it was out of control.

“I had time to think of my wife and boys and thought ‘Oh God, not me’.”

Mr Kaye braked hard but could not avoid hitting Mr New as his car swung onto Mr Kaye’s side of the road.

PC John Edwards from the collision investigation unit told the inquest he had considered the wet weather before the crash when making his calculations.

He said: “Mr New was travelling towards Knutsford at about 65 mph and while negotiating a left hand bend in the road lost control of the vehicle and collided with the Audi.”

Paramedics believe Mr New’s death must have been instantaneous.

There were no traces of alcohol or drugs in his system and no mechanical or electrical faults were found with Mr New’s car.

During the inquest, Mrs New said: “We have every sympathy with the Kayes.

“The family have all accepted we will never really know why and would like to thank the people who tried to help Howard.”

Coroner Dr Janet Napier recorded the cause of death as multiple injuries due to an accident. The family would like to point out that they questioned PC Edwards' evidence after witnesses said after the inquest he was not going that fast.