A VAN driver swerved to avoid a group of revellers running across a road but tragically hit one of them and killed her.

Haleyanne Price, 18, was struck by the white Ford Transit in New Road in Rochester after a night out with friends, an inquest heard.

The details surrounding the tragedy caused her mother, Pauline Ellis, to break down in tears during the hearing. Assistant deputy coroner Stephen Beck briefly adjourned the hearing to give Mrs Ellis time to regain her composure.

Mr Beck, who recorded an accidental death verdict, said: "I know the inquest has been extremely traumatic for everyone involved, especially for Haleyanne's family. She was only 18 and had everything to live for. I am desperately sorry."

The inquest at Gillingham was told that Haleyanne, of The Tideway, Rochester, died at Medway Maritime Hospital from head injuries. A post mortem revealed that she had drunk a very small amount of alcohol. Her blood/alcohol level was 15 micrograms per 100 millilitres, less than a fifth of the 80 microgram drink-drive limit.

Her friend, Sarah Mead, who had crossed the road with Haleyanne, said the pair had on the night of May 2 visited the Queen Charlotte pub in Rochester and then moved on to the Amadeus nightclub.

They had met two male friends and at the end of the night they all caught the bus back to Rochester. Miss Mead said Haleyanne was in a giggly mood but not drunk.

The accident happened at 3.30am on Saturday, May 3, after the four got off close to the Star Hill junction. Witnesses at the scene described how the male friends had first run across the road from the front of the bus and Mr Haynes had swerved to avoid them.

The inquest heard the two girls followed and Mr Haynes had swerved and braked, missing Sarah but hitting Haleyanne.

Eyewitness Laura Evans said she saw Sarah step back as the van approached but Haleyanne stepped forward into its path. She said Haleyanne had been looking straight ahead and not towards the van.

The driver was Stephen Haynes, 17, of Dunkirk, Faversham, a warehouse operator who had just finished a late shift. He told the inquest he had no distractions, such as from a mobile phone, and did not feel sleepy.

He revealed he had only been a driver for four months and had used vans for the last three. Tests by crash investigators estimated that Mr Haynes was travelling at 25mph, below the road's 30 limit.

PC David Kirk of Kent Police said it would have been easier for the pedestrians to see the van than for the driver to see them.