A PROMISING young footballer died after being hit by a car while lying down in the road following a day and night of heavy drinking.

An inquest into the death of trainee bricklayer Ross Crouch heard he had probably drunk more than eight pints during an all-day drinking session.

The 23-year-old, of School Lane, Lawford, was hit by a black Audi A3 near the top of the A137 Cox's Hill in Manningtree, having fallen or lain down in the middle of the road.

He died at Colchester hospital within hours of the crash, which happened just after midnight on the morning of May 19, 2008.

His friend and team mate Lewis Symes, said they had just returned from “a glorified drinking trip” to Bratislava organised by their Sunday football club Brantham Colts, and had continued to celebrate at local pubs on their return to the UK.

Mr Symes said: “During the day, I had drunk about eight or nine pints of beer, and Ross had probably drunk more than me, however, he was steady on his feet.”

The pair started to walk home together, both still wearing shorts and carrying rucksacks, and they parted at the roundabout near Manningtree station.

Emma Burrell, a retail assistant who knew Mr Crouch socially, said she saw a young man wearing Hawaiian-style shorts and a backpack fall over in the road after drunkenly struggling to cross.

She did not stop as she did not recognise Mr Crouch and feared for her safety.

Daniel Hinkins, 36, who was driving the car that hit Mr Crouch, gave evidence at the inquest, held at New Bridge House, Chelmsford, on Wednesday.

He tried to break after seeing an object right in the middle of the road, but did not have enough time to stop, and said he had hoped to pass over it.

He said: “There was something that looked a bit like a bin liner, but since, thinking it over and over, I think it may have been the rucksack, because that was the only thing that that would show any kind of reflection.

“I kept myself in the middle of the road and hoped it would go under the car.

“It was like nothing I have ever experienced before, it was just a massive bang.”

After coming to a stop, he saw the young man lying in the road, and called for an ambulance.

He said: “I comforted him as much as I could, but I was, for want of a better word, freaked out.”

Essex police forensic investigation officer PC Thurlwell, who investigated the crash, said there was no realistic chance that Mr Hinkins could have prevented the accident.

He said he had dealt with several cases involving people lying in the road, commenting, “It seems not unusual for young people who are intoxicated to lay in the road, and I cannot give an explanation for that behaviour.”

At the time of his death, Mr Crouch had 241 milligrams of alcohol in his blood at the time of death, about two-and-a-half times the legal drink-drive limit.

A post-mortem found the injuries he suffered were consistent with being struck by a car while lying down.

Coroner Eleanor McGann recorded a verdict of accidental death, saying: “In this case, there is only one verdict I can come to, and that is that this was a tragic accident.

“He died as a result of multiple injuries, and a factor contributing to that was that he was intoxicated by alcohol.”

She gave her sympathies to Mr Crouch's family, who were at the inquest.

Mr Crouch had played for a variety of non-league teams, and was was captain and central defender for Stanway Rovers football club in Colchester.

Previously, he had played for Colchester United’s youth team for two years.