MYSTERY still surrounds the death of a Sidcup taxi driver who died after crashing his car on the eve of his only daughter’s wedding.

An open verdict was today recorded at the inquest into the death of Paul Clark, who died when his silver Vauxhall Vectra left the London-bound M20 near West Kingsdown.

Mr Clark, 51, was travelling to his home in Rowley Avenue, Sidcup, having dropped his wife Tracy and daughter off at Chilston Park Hotel in Maidstone on Boxing Day last year.

North Kent Coroner Roger Hatch this afternoon said factors such as poor tyre tread on father-of-three Mr Clark’s car or aquaplaning could have caused the fatal crash.

The inquest at Tunbridge Wells police station heard how it was raining heavily at around 8.20pm on the evening of the crash, as it had been for the duration of the afternoon.

Witness Thomas Mackay, from Switzerland, was driving on the same stretch of road with his family in a BMW estate car when Mr Clark overtook him.

In a statement provided by Mr Mackay, he said his visibility was “ok but not great” and he had his windscreen wipers on the fastest setting as he drove.

In evidence given to police over Skype in January, Mr Mackay said: “When other vehicles overtook, my visibility was reduced because of the spray on the windscreen.

“It was night and very dark. The road surface had standing water.

“A vehicle appeared outside me in the overtaking lane and I remember this to be a Vauxhall Vectra.

“This vehicle would have been driving at between 80 and 85mph.

“I was sprayed by water as the vehicle passed.”

Mr Mackay, who was travelling to his father’s house in Putney at the time, said he did not pay attention to this vehicle at the time.

He added: “I was looking ahead and could see the road ahead of me and the Vauxhall that had just passed me.

“I watched as the tail lights moved across the carriageway at speed from the overtaking lane across the middle lane and slow lane and hard shoulder.

“It then left the road going down an embankment.

“It was as if the driver had realised very late that he wanted to leave the motorway at a junction, but there was no junction.

“If he had done that and if there were any cars there, it would have been a dangerous speed to do this at.”

Mr Mackay said the Vauxhall left the motorway at an angle and he did not see any break lights being applied as it did so.

He said: “The movement of the vehicle I would describe as a smooth sweep.

“It was as if the driver had aquaplaned or fallen asleep. It did not slow down.

“I watched as the Vauxhall left the road and went down the bank.

“I recall seeing the tail lights bouncing up.

“I thought for a second it might come back on to the motorway.”

Forensic collision investigator Derek Mole arrived at the scene of the crash at 9pm.

He told the inquest there was “substantial impact” to the front near side of the car, the bonnet was folded backwards and the windscreen had smashed to the left of Mr Clark’s head.

Forensic evidence was unable to determine the speed at which the car was travelling, according to Mr Mole, so it was difficult to say whether Mr Clark’s car aquaplaned.

He said: “I’m satisfied the weather conditions were poor and it is a possibility that environmental factors, in particular surface water, were a factor in this collision.

“The taxi radio unit was found in the foot well but there is no evidence to suggest Mr Clark was using the radio at the time of the collision.

“He was not under the influence of any alcohol and there is no evidence to say he was suffering from fatigue. There is nothing to suggest he was distracted.”

Mr Clark was found lying across the driver’s seat with his head in the foot well area of the passenger seat.

Mr Mole said: “I suggest the driver was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.

“It is for a medically qualified person to say whether a seatbelt would have prevented his death.”

Concluding, the coroner said: “I’m afraid from the evidence it is difficult to answer the question as to why it was that Mr Clark’s vehicle left the road in the way that it did.

“It is quite clear that from the evidence of Mr McKay and the water that was found on the motorway, that it is a possibility the car aquaplaned.

“It is equally a possibility that the tread on the tyres of the car, combined with the weather, affected the control of the car.

“As the officer has said, there could be a number of other possibilities which one can only guess.

“It is not possible to reach a conclusion in the normal way as one would at inquest.”