A 60-YEAR-old man died after veering off the road and hitting a tree following heart failure at the wheel, an inquest heard.

Stephen Bunce from Moreton-on-Lugg was driving towards Hereford on the A49 Dinmore Hill on July 12 at around 4pm.

The inquest at Herefordshire Coroner's Court yesterday heard witnesses describe how as he went to overtake a car he suddenly turned to the right onto the other side of the road.

He mounted the kerb, hit a tree and stopped upside down in the ditch in his green raw striker kit car.

Witness Thomas Hughes said as he was driving towards Hereford Mr Bunce's car overtook him at about 60mph in the second lane on Dinmore Hill.

As Mr Hughes came over the hill and onto a straight section of road he saw the open top car behind at least two other vehicles.

Mr Hughes said the car pulled over onto the other side of the carriageway to overtake and seemed to pull back to the left but then "suddenly and for no apparent reason" he made a distinct turn to the right and onto the verge.

He said there were no approaching cars.

Mr Hughes pulled over and found the car upside down in the ditch- with the help of two other males they turned the car over.

A passing ambulance stopped at the scene and two paramedics and an off duty fireman released Mr Bunce from his seat belt and carried out CPR.

He was pronounced dead at 4.23pm.

A pathologist recorded the cause of death as head injuries with contributory factors of heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy.

In the pathologist's opinion heart failure happened while Mr Bunce was driving.

The car was examined and there was no evidence of structural or mechanical failure.

Mark Murphy, police collision investigator, said he could find no evidence at the scene that Mr Bunce reacted prior to or after mounting the kerb and there were no brake marks to show a loss of control.

Although travelling at 10mph faster than the speed limit he said he did not believe speed played a significant part.

Coroner for Herefordshire Mark Bricknell recorded a narrative verdict that: "Mr Bunce died whilst driving a motor vehicle. There is an absence of any evidence to explain the loss of control of the vehicle other than the pathologist report which recorded the antecedence causes of heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy."