A MAN was hit by a car after he walked on a carriageway following a session of drinking at an old boys gathering, an inquest at Bradford Coroners Court has heard today.

Peter Kennedy died in Leeds General Infirmary on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 after suffering severe injuries in an incident involving a silver Alfa Romeo on Huddersfield Road in Brighouse, three days earlier.

The 71-year-old was a pedestrian in the collision, which happened near the junction of Woodhouse Lane at around 8.55pm on Saturday, December 3.

At the hearing, Mr Kennedy's wife, of over 40 years, Christine described him as a "family man" who had "much more living to do".

"The world is a tad darker without his laughter," she added.

Mr Kennedy was very well known in Huddersfield amateur rugby league circles and was a stalwart of Deighton Woolpack club.

He also played for several amateur football and cricket teams in West Yorkshire and worked at Myers Timber Merchant for most of his life.

The court heard that on the day, Mr Kennedy was meeting up with his former work colleagues in Brighouse town centre for a few drinks.

One of his friends, who provided a statement to the court, said Mr Kennedy had drunk "seven or eight pints" of smooth ale in the six-hour drinking session.

When the two went to the bus stop outside Sainsbury's to catch the X63 Bradford service, which runs through Huddersfield, a lengthy wait meant Mr Kennedy began to walk to the next stop.

The friend said: "I got on the bus but he never did."

"I could not believe what had happened," he added.

The court heard how there was no need for Peter to cross the road to access the next bus stop.

When Stephen Gardner, West Yorkshire Police Forensic Collision Investigator, attended the scene there was glass debris from the vehicle's windscreen on the road.

He told the court that a reconstruction told him Mr Kennedy was an "unavoidable hazard" to the driver and that the collision was "unavoidable".

Mr Gardner was unable to see what exact speed the vehicle, which had no defects, was going on the 40mph road.

He said CCTV footage showed Mr Kennedy "staggering" and having difficulty to walk in a straight line at times.

The toxicology report discovered 184ml of alcohol in Mr Kennedy's blood and found this consistent with an "average social drinker".

The post-mortem showed he had died as the result of suffering multiple severe blunt force injuries sustained in a road traffic collision.

Speaking to Mr Kennedy's family, assistant coroner Ian Peers, who came to a road traffic collision conclusion at the hearing, said: "It was a very sad turn of events on a sociable evening with friends."