A MAN who died in a horrific car accident on the M20 may have been braking to avoid a mystery car which tried to pull into his path, an inquest heard.

But the inquest into the death of Christopher Harrington on the motorway near Thurnham, Maidstone, was unable to establish any details about the car, or any other reason why his vehicle would have braked suddenly, causing it to veer onto the verge and roll back across the carriageway, ending on its roof.

Divorced Mr Harrington, 41, of Nurseryfields, Hythe, died in the accident on September 24, 2004 at 8.43pm.

Driver Daniel Alexander, who was in the inside lane of the motorway after joining at junction 8, the Leeds Castle junction, said he had seen Mr Harrington’s car approaching in his rear view mirror.

He had noticed it because it had spotlights on as well as headlamps.

Mr Alexander told the inquest at County Hall, Maidstone, on Friday that as it approached in the fast lane, a car in the middle lane went to pull into its path, causing it to brake.

But Mid Kent and Medway coroner Roger Sykes said that in the statement he had given in October, he made no mention of a third car.

"Do you think it is possible for you to have tried to think of a reason the car went out of control? It is possible that you have thought of that, but didn’t actually see it," he said.

His passenger, Lauren Hearn, said she had turned and witnessed the crash, after hearing a crunching noise, and had seen the car rolling back onto the carriageway, but had not seen another car.

Mr Sykes said that in her October statement, she had said a car had gone past them with its full beams on immediately afterwards. But in court she said she did not remember another car.

Investigating officer PC Adam Maxfield said the car and the road surface had no defects and the only marks on the road were from Mr Harrington’s tyres as he had made severe correctional steering, and a mark made by a Passat, which had collided with the wreckage moments later in the dark.

A statement by Home Office pathologist Dr David Rouse showed Mr Harrington, an IT analyst, had died from severe multiple injuries.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Sykes said: "The evidence suggests that his vehicle was travelling in the fast lane or straddling lanes two and three when for some reason he applied the left hand steering.

"One possible reason for Mr Harrington taking that action was to avoid having a collision with another car."