A MOTHER ran on to a busy dual carriageway after an accident in her car while more than twice over the legal alcohol limit.

An inquest heard that 34-year-old Tina Brierley, 34, died after being hit by a car on the A249 at Iwade, near Sittingbourne, shortly after 9pm on February 5.

She was driving home to Queensway, Sheerness, with her partner Paul Mantle and four-year-old son Connor when the car struck a kerb of a layby, bursting the tyre.

The couple had been drinking at Bluewater shopping centre at Greenhithe and had to be escorted out of the building by a security guard after a heated argument.

Ms Brierley refused to take a taxi home and drove instead. When she got out of the car, she began walking along the side of the unlit road and tried to run to the central reservation but was grabbed by Mr Mantle.

After another argument she grabbed Connor’s hand and ran diagonally across the road into the path of the oncoming car.

Connor told police he “let go of mummy’s hand because I didn’t want to die”.

Mr Mantle told police the pair had drunk four bottles of wine with dinner. He said: “Tina began acting strangely. She was driving erratically.”

Michael Cubitt was driving home and saw the incident. He said: “The woman ran straight into the front of the car. The little boy ran into the road screaming for his mum. I kept hold of him until the ambulance arrived.”

Coroner Roger Sykes recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said: “She and her partner had both been drinking heavily.

"I cannot determine why Tina ran into the road but the car was so close the driver had no opportunity of taking any action.”