A TEENAGE driver died in an accident after drinking to celebrate passing out from the Army just four days earlier.

Gunner Lucinda Owen, 17, from Green Acres, Whitewood Lane, Tilston, had returned to Cheshire following her passing out parade with the Royal Artillery at Pirbright, an inquest in Warrington heard.

She was driving home after seeing pals at the Wheatsheaf pub, Nomansheath, just before 1am on Tuesday, October 21, when she lost control of her blue Vauxhall Astra on Tilston Road.

Lucinda, who was over the drink-drive limit, was found dead in a field near her upturned car at about 7.20am.

Friend Matthew Sudlow, of Deans Park, Nomansheath, said she had earlier been to a house party in Shrewsbury.

Another pal, Mark Fitton, who left the pub at the same time as Lucinda, was among the first to discover her body.

Mark, of The Farms, Whixall, Whitchurch, said Lucinda had seemed ‘fine, happy, funny’. He texted her at about 2am but got no reply and assumed she had fallen asleep. Next morning, he was driving to work when he found Lucinda’s ‘cold’ body in the field.

A toxicology report showed Lucinda had 116mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The limit is 80mg.

Vehicle examiner Maurice Lansom-Jones said she was not wearing her seat belt.

Collision investigator PC Steve Binns said Lucinda had been travelling at between 43-52mph on the 60mph road. He believes she lost control after misjudging a ‘kink’. The car crossed the opposing lane, passed through a hedge and turned upside down.

Lucinda died of multiple injuries.

Verdict: Accidental death.