A teenage girl who lost control of her car in a crash that killed her and her boyfriend might have swerved to miss an animal, an inquest heard.

Amy Clark, 17, steered left while rounding a right hand bend on the A20 Maidstone Road at Charing. She had passed her driving test just nine days before.

At an inquest into the couple's death yesterday, police said she might have been trying to avoid a distraction in the road - possibly an animal - but could not confirm the theory.

"This is a tragic accidental death, a tragic case involving two very young people..." - coroner Rachel Redman

Miss Clark, who was studying engineering at Canterbury College, and her 20-year-old boyfriend Rob Wiltshire died in the accident on the Maidstone-bound carriageway.

The car had hit a tree after going down a bank at about 10pm on December 29 last year.

Witness Sarah Austin was a passenger in a car when she saw the victims' Ford Fiesta at the bottom of the bank with its rear wheels raised.

She called 999 and rushed to the scene, where she saw Mr Wiltshire leaning against the door, but was afraid to open it in case she caused more injury.

Emergency services arrived, but Miss Clark, of Highfield Road, Willesborough, was already dead.

Electrical engineer Mr Wiltshire, of Payden Street, Maidstone, was unconscious. Attempts to resuscitate him failed and he also died at the scene.

PC David Kirk said the car had been examined and had no contributory defects. It had been raining earlier that night and both victims had been wearing their seatbelts.

He added investigators suggested the car had rotated anti-clockwise before sliding down the bank. He did not suspect high speed was involved and Miss Clark's mobile phone had not been used at the time.

It was believed Miss Clark had negotiated the right hand bend but steered left, suggesting she was trying to correct the course of the car.

The area is known to have a large rabbit warren and a dead rabbit had been found in the road, but it was not confirmed that Miss Clark had been trying to avoid the animal.

The inquest heard from Miss Clark's mother, Debbie Helmer, that her daughter had passed her driving test nine days earlier - but she was a careful driver.

Pathologist Brigid Maguire said Miss Clark had died from multiple injuries and had no alcohol or drugs in her system. Mr Wiltshire died from head injuries.

The inquest heard the couple had last been seen on CCTV leaving Sainsbury's at 9.50pm. There had been no witnesses to the accident.

Coroner Rachel Redman recorded a verdict of accidental death on both victims.

She said: "We are not sure as to why this happened as there are no witnesses.

"If it is any comfort to the families, Amy did not suffer and Robert had lost consciousness.

"This is a tragic accidental death, a tragic case involving two very young people."

Mrs Redman commended the bravery of Miss Austin who had raised the alarm.

After the hearing, both victims' families said they wanted to thank Miss Austin for her efforts.

Miss Clark was a former pupil at Highworth Grammar School and at the time of her death was an engineering student at Canterbury College.

Mr Wiltshire was a former pupil at Swadelands School, Lenham, and had just qualified as an electrical engineer.