The circumstances surrounding the death of Alkham Valley crash victim Sean Petch will never be known, an inquest heard.

Mr Petch, 23, a former Dover Grammar School for Boys pupil, was driving from Dover to Folkestone, after leaving his friend’s house in the High Street at 10.20pm on Sunday, December 6.

He lost control of his blue Seat Ibiza on the rural stretch of road. It veered off, hit a tree and burst into flames.

Emergency services were called by a motorist who saw the car catch alight, but Mr Petch could not be saved.

Family and friends of Mr Petch crammed into the hearing at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court.

Assistant coroner Christine Freedman led the fact-finding investigation which heard evidence from one driver,

Ellis Parsons said she HAD slowed down because Mr Petch was “driving at speed”.

Miss Parsons, who had left work at The Marquis restaurant, also on the route, said: “I drive along the Alkham Valley pretty much every day.

"He was going over the speed limit and I could see he hadn’t turned his full beams down, so I slowed down and waited for him to pass.

“But when I looked back, I couldn’t see his lights. By that time I had stopped and then saw the car had hit a tree.”

PC Duncan Swallow, who investigated the incident, said the road conditions were wet, but the tyre tracks in the road were not consistent with any harsh braking or swerving.

The road is unlit and there is an interchangeable 40 to 50mph speed limit.

“This is a tragic case. It is going to remain something of a mystery as to what happened" - assistant coroner Christine Freedman

PC Swallow said: “There was extensive damage to the front of the vehicle and it was not subject to any further investigation. It has not been possible to establish how the vehicle left the road.”

The inquest heard that a media appeal, published in this newspaper and on KentOnline encouraged six more witnesses to come forward.

Mrs Freedman said: “This is a tragic case. It is going to remain something of a mystery as to what happened.

“There is absolutely no evidence that can point me in the right direction and for that reason my final conclusion is an open verdict – we know what happened but we simply don’t know how.”

Mr Petch was a popular young man with large groups of friends in Dover and Folkestone.

He worked at Church and Dwight, a toiletries company based in Wear Bay Road, Folkestone, and was also a student at Canterbury College.