A WEEPING lorry driver, found to be blameless for a motorist's death, was given hugs by the dead man's relatives after an inquest.

Phillip Mackay was told by the coroner he could have done nothing to avoid the smash which killed Alexander Diggle.

As he gave evidence, Mr Mackay tearfully turned to relatives and said: "I'm sorry, there was nothing I could do. I swear to God." Family members told him they knew he was not to blame.

Mid Kent and Medway coroner Roger Sykes said: "I don't think there was anything at all that Mr Mackay could have done to have avoided the impact. This was simply a tragic accident."

Alexander Diggle, 53, of High Street, Grain, near Rochester, died after his car collided with Mr Mackay's lorry on the B2001, the extension of the notorious A228, outside Thamesport just before 1am last July 18.

Thursday's inquest heard Mr Mackay's Renault 44-tonne lorry was coming out of the junction as Mr Diggle's Rover Metro headed towards him.

Mr Mackay tried to steer and brake to avoid a collision but the Metro had come across towards the lorry and smashed into it.

The inquest heard that there was no evidence that Mr Diggle, said to be travelling at high speed, had braked.

Mr Mackay, who is from the West Midlands, said: "He didn't stop, it was like he never saw me. It was like a big magnet drawn towards my wagon and then the whole car disappeared underneath it.''

Police crash tests showed that by the point of impact, as Mr Mackay had braked, he was travelled at just 5mph.

Mr Diggle, a divorced gardener, died of multiple injuries but a post-mortem examination found that he had consumed two-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit. Earlier that evening he had drunk two pints of lager in a pub and cider at a friend's home.

Mr Sykes recorded an accidental death verdict and concluded that alcohol intoxication was a contributory factor to the accident.