A dad killed when he crashed his Audi TT on a notorious bend was five times the drink-drive limit, an inquest has heard.

Lee Boulter was also speeding along the 40mph limit Canterbury Road at about 60mph when he careered into a fence near the junction with Bullockstone Road in Herne Common.

The 45-year-old, whose teenage daughter was orphaned by his death, suffered “catastrophic head injuries” and was pronounced dead at the scene on February 23.

An inquest at Canterbury Coroner’s Court heard he had 396 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of his blood. The legal limit is 80.

The hearing was told his driving was “grossly impaired by the amount of alcohol in his system”, with police adding he had taken the bend too fast.

An empty wine bottle was found in the passenger footwell, along with more empty alcohol bottles in the glove compartment.

Assistant coroner James Dillon said: “I have evidence that the car was out of control and driving at a speed of 20mph over the posted speed limit.

“He was travelling over and above the speed in which he could have safely negotiated the bend, even taking away the fact he was intoxicated.”

Mr Boulter had called his father, Colin, 20 minutes before the crash at 2.45pm, saying he feared he was going to lose his job as a furniture salesman at Harveys.

In fact, the opposite was true and the court was told he was doing well at work.

Mr Boulter lived in Dolphin Street, Herne Bay, with his 13-year-old daughter Layla, who lost her mother to cancer last year.

Dad Colin, 73, of Reculver Road, Beltinge, told the inquest: “Lee was devastated by the death of his ex-partner and didn’t get over it but was staying positive for Layla, who was his shining light.”

Shortly after his death, he described his son as an achiever who was devoted to the youngster.

“He was amazing,” he said. “He was just a man looking after his daughter and making sure she was OK.

“He was a great salesman. He had a lot of friends and he tended to be a leader. He was willing to try anything.”

In 2015, the A291 Canterbury Road was rated among the most dangerous in Britain by the Road Safety Foundation.