A TEENAGE girl died in a tragic road accident just a day after she had passed her driving test, an inquest heard. Kerry Ann Powell, from Long Sutton, lost her life on the A17 on October 23 last year. The inquest heard Miss Powell s boyfriend, Anthony Edwa

A TEENAGE girl died in a tragic road accident just a day after she had passed her driving test, an inquest heard.

Kerry Ann Powell, from Long Sutton, lost her life on the A17 on October 23 last year.

The inquest heard Miss Powell's boyfriend, Anthony Edwards had witnessed the tragedy from his car which he was driving in front.

The inquest on Thursday at Swaffham, heard, that the 17-year-old hairdresser had been driving her red Fiat Punto over a junction on the A17 at Station Road, Terrington St Clement, when she collided a white articulated lorry travelling from Boston to King's Lynn.

In his evidence Mr Edwards, also a hairdresser, said his girlfriend had been "excited and happy" to have passed the driving test the day before.

He said on the day of the accident, they decided to leave his house at Terrington shortly after 10am, driving separate cars to a staff meeting.

"I had been in her car once and I did not have any cause for concern," he said.

Lorry driver Derek Pitts said the weather was dry, visibility normal and traffic fairly light. As he was driving along the A17, he suddenly saw the Fiat Punto pull out from Station Road on to single carriageway.

John Clay, who was driving his car in the same direction as the lorry, said he had seen smoke coming from the lorry, which indicated the vehicle had braked hard in a bid to avoid the collision, but added: "It was terrible. There was no chance for the lorry to stop. He couldn't."

In his evidence, Sgt Richard Fraser, who carried out the investigation into the collision, told the court that Mr Pitts was driving his vehicle at 53mph in an area restricted to 40mph for lorries.

However, he said that Mr Pitts, who has already been convicted for speeding on the day of the accident, could not have avoided the collision, even if he had travelled at 40mph.

Greater Norfolk deputy coroner Jacqueline Lake recorded a verdict of death as a result of a traffic collision.