A TEENAGER was probably driving at speeds of more than 60mph when his car ploughed into a lamp-post, an inquest was told.

Craig Gauntlett, 19, of Melford Drive, Barming, Maidstone, was driving his Ford Granada so fast it uprooted the lamp-post and sent it flying across the street.

His car had been followed by police in a high-speed chase through Medway after he had been on a night out in Gillingham. PC Martin Ostler estimated the car was travelling at a minimum of 60mph, in a 40mph zone, when he crashed at the junction of Holding Street and the A2, in High Street, Rainham on Friday, October 12.

He told the inquest jury at Maidstone: "There was an element of speed which helped the lamp-post go as far as it did. From my experience, and bearing in mind the damage, 60mph would be a realistic minimum speed."

The junction has a mini-roundabout and kerbs that jut out. PC Ostler agreed with coroner Roger Sykes that a driver would need to slow down significantly to be able to turn the wheel first left and then right to manoeuvre around the kerb and roundabout.

Insp Martin Cunningham, who was at the scene of the accident while off duty, said: "I heard the sound of the crash and thought I was going out to see a five-car pile-up."

Police are describing the lead-up to the accident as a police "follow", where the police car keeps at a safe distance, rather than a chase.

Eyewitness Samantha White said she was surprised at how quickly a police car arrived on the scene. Mrs White, who lives opposite the junction, looked out of her bedroom window straight after the crash.

She said: "I heard a large crash and looked towards the roundabout. I knew where to look because it happens every night. I saw the car with steam or smoke coming out of it. I heard a siren and a police car was on the roundabout. It confused me a bit actually."

Officers arriving at the scene described how, once the car was righted from its side onto four wheels, Mr Gauntlett ended up with the top half of his body leaning over the passenger side and his head in the passenger foot-well.

PC James Beautridge helped ease Mr Gauntlett out of the car. He said he needed to break some windows to be able to reach the awkward position. Amanda Gibbs, representing the Gauntlett family, challenged his reasons for smashing the windows.

She said: "It is sometimes the case that a police officer smashes the windows to try to disorientate a person so they can then go in and arrest them." She suggested PC Beautridge was attempting to do this before he realised the severity of Craig's injuries.

Pc Beautridge said: "It was not that at all. Crashing at that sort of speed it was obvious someone was going to be seriously injured."

The inquest continues.