A coroner has expressed his deepest sympathies with a family following the death of a 24-year-old from Ewshot in a road traffic accident near Fleet nearly a year ago.

Ryan McKee died last March 5 after a black Volkswagen Golf he was driving came off the A323 Norris Hill Road and collided with several trees.

An investigation by Hampshire Police concluded that speed was sadly a factor with the much-loved son and father losing traction after engaging sports mode ahead of a bend between Fleet and Farnborough.

An inquest in Winchester on Tuesday (February 10) heard that a boy’s night out turned to tragedy as Ryan had enjoyed an evening with friends at the Heron on the Lake in Fleet ahead of the fatal accident at 10.22pm.

The driver, in “good spirits” after agreeing to take his friend home to Church Crookham, selected speed mode after leaving a set of traffic lights in Fleet.

Michael Toy, a police crash investigator, believed Ryan approached a bend too quickly and lost traction, with the vehicle going into the opposite lane and leaving the road.

A witness in a car heading towards Fleet also reported seeing a vehicle drive in “front of her and then into the woods” adding the incident “happened so fast”.

The car suffered “catastrophic damage” in the accident with no vehicle or road defects being reported. Toxicology reports also concluded that alcohol and drugs were not a factor, with Mr McKee dying at the scene as the result of traumatic head and spinal injuries.

Tributes were paid during the inquest in Hampshire Coroner’s Court with his parents calling Ryan a “healthy and happy” man who “idolised his son”.

They added: “Family was important to Ryan and he had a loving family around him.

“He had a wide friendship group and network, and met up every Wednesday,” with the parents adding that Ryan had been in a relationship with his girlfriend for a year with the pair saving up for a house together.

While there was some dispute among the family over the passenger’s testimony and who pressed the sports mode button, Coroner Christopher Wilkinson said its engagement and speed were a factor.

He then expressed his sympathies with the family on a difficult afternoon with a verdict of accidental death being recorded.

Mr Wilkinson said: “It was this type of evening when Ryan was his happiest and in his element.

“Some of that enjoyment may have spilled over into excitement and enthusiasm on this occasion.

“It seems more likely than not the engagement of the sports button resulted in the disengagement of traction control and cornering stability control.

“It’s always saddening when a young person loses their life at the wheel of a vehicle and I’m devastated you’ve lost Ryan in these circumstances.

“I hope you have some very fond memories of him and you reflect on this in happier times,” said the coroner before thanking Mr Toy and everyone in the emergency services involved in the incident last March.