ILLEGAL and under inflated tyres were a major contributor to a road accident which led to the death of Silsden man David Waddington, an inquest heard today.

Mr Waddington, 58, lost control of his Volkswagen Bora on the A59 at Blubberhouses Moor as he negotiated a right hand bend, an inquest in Skipton was told.

His car spun around once and was on its second turn when it hit a Ford Focus, carrying two women and a child, side on.

Mr Waddington, who had been on his way from Silsden to South Shields to see his long-term partner on the morning of February 22, was taken to Leeds General Infirmary and later transferred to Airedale Hospital.

He died at Airedale on March 26 from multiple injuries, with existing alcoholic liver disease being a contributing factor.

Assistant coroner Geoff Fell, in recording a verdict of accidental death, said Mr Waddington's liver disease would not have caused his death but would have affected the eventual outcome to a "significant level".

At least three of the tyres on Mr Waddington's car were under the recommended level of pressure and it was likely that the fourth was too, but that had deflated on impact.

The front two tyres were also badly worn, would have failed an MoT inspection and were "highly dangerous", said Mr Fell.

"The two front tyres were illegal in terms of tread and the road was wet at the time.

"I am satisfied the under inflated and illegal tyres were a major factor in the collision," he said.

The inquest heard that Mr Waddington had worked for Silentnight, but had been off sick for about 12 months and had ceased employment with the company about two weeks prior to the accident.

In addition to liver disease, he had also suffered arthritis in his hands and arms, for which he had had been successfully treated with cortisone.

Neither car had been speeding at the time of the collision and a breath test had revealed no alcohol whatsoever in Mr Waddington's system at the time.