AN inquest yesterday heard how a head-on crash in Chepstow caused the deaths of a boy of 11 and a driver.

Harrison Marshall and Ryan Charles Griffiths, 44, both from Chepstow, died after the collision on the A466 Wye Valley Link Road in Chepstow on September 6, 2013.

Mr Griffiths was driving his Subaru in excess of the road’s 60mph speed limit and lost control of his car trying to overtake another, the hearing in Newport was told, ending up on the wrong side of the road.

Harrison had just started Year Seven at Chepstow Comprehensive School and was on the way to see his grandmother, who also lives in the town, with his mother, Emma, and his younger sister Ruby, who was six at the time.

Mrs Marshall sustained minor injuries and was taken to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, along with her son, where she later learned he had died.

After Harrison died, his new school held a football-themed non-uniform day to raise money for Frenchay Hospital and the Neuro Foundation, causes which were supported by his family.

Mr Griffiths was on the way to meet his brother in Llanishen to start work at the time of the crash.

During his life, he did a number of jobs including farm worker, builder and worked building conservatories.

Gwent Police forensic collision investigator PC Christopher Goddard said he could tell Mr Griffiths’ car was exceeding the speed limit because critical points had been left on the road by its tyres, marked as the driver lost control of the vehicle.

He estimated his car would have been travelling at about 68mph when it left its lane and hit the Vauxhall Corsa coming in the other direction. A statement from eyewitness Detective Constable Gary Worrall, from Avon and Somerset Police, was read out. He was driving on the road at the time and estimated it was travelling at 80mph.

He added the crash was a “full frontal” collision and “very violent”. The impact was enough to move the Corsa back 2.5 metres even though it had been travelling at 40mph.

Mrs Marshall said all three people in her car were all wearing seatbelts at the time.

A post-mortem examination had shown Harrison was wearing his seat belt incorrectly, and that it was placed under the boy’s arm rather than over a shoulder, the inquest heard.

But Gwent Coroner David Bowen said Mrs Marshall would have been “completely unaware that he wasn’t wearing the seatbelt properly” and that Harrison would have had no idea of the risks involved with not wearing it properly.

Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Bowen said Harrison died from multiple injuries, while Mr Griffiths died of multiple internal injuries.

In the case of MrGriffiths, Mr Bowen said: “Whilst travelling at speed finding his progress blocked by another vehicle travelling ahead, he lost control of his vehicle whereupon his vehicle veered into the opposite carriageway where it impacted head on with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.”

In the case of Harrison, he said: “Whilst travelling as a rear seat passenger in a motor car driven by his mother and unbeknown to her had slipped his seat belt under his arm rather than over his shoulder with the result that his upper body was unrestrained.”