A DRIVER died after crashing into a stationary digger while driving through roadworks on the A34 while more than four times the legal drink-drive limit.

An inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court heard that 56-year-old John Perry, of Field Street, Bicester, was driving home from Oxford four times the legal alcohol limit at about midnight on February 9 when he drove up the shut northbound carriageway near Islip, which was coned off.

Traffic safety officer Peter Berry told the jury how he stopped the MoD security guard, who was driving at about 40mph in a 15mph speed limit and had a traffic cone caught under the wheel of his VW Golf and told him he was not allowed to be there. He told Mr Perry to follow him off site, driving in front of him in a silver Astra estate.

But when Mr Berry stopped to talk to another traffic safety officer, Mr Perry overtook him and sped off ahead. He hit a stationary JCB shortly afterwards, which flipped his car on to the passenger side and caused Mr Berry to crash into him. Mr Perry was not wearing a seatbelt and died of brain injuries at the scene.

In a statement, his wife Maria, who had separated from her husband about three years ago, said they had been out celebrating his birthday before the accident. After sharing a birthday cake at their daughter Tracey's house, they had a meal and about three bottles of wine at Jamals, in Walton Street, Jericho. Mr Perry, who had also drunk two pints earlier in the evening, then drove his wife home to North Oxford, before setting off for Bicester.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, giving Mr Perry's speed, alcohol consumption and lack of seatbelt as contributing factors in his death.