Corwen footballer killed in crash was twice over drink-drive limit

A footballer was more than twice the drink-drive limit when he was killed in a crash, an inquest has heard.

Joshua Atkin had been drinking cider, vodka and "shots" when he crashed his Seat Leon and died in the early hours of the morning after hitting a barrier.

Two friends told an inquest in north Wales they tried to persuade the 26-year-old goalkeeper not to drive home.

Coroner John Gittins concluded Mr Atkin, from Flintshire, died in a road traffic collision near Wrexham.

Mr Atkin was described as a "talented goalkeeper" and had played for the academy side of Welsh Premier champions Connah's Quay Nomads, before he joined Saltney Town and latterly Corwen.

He had also served in the Army with the Queen's Royal Hussars.

The inquest in Ruthin heard he had been drinking with friend Charlene Hughes the night of the crash.

She told North Wales Police she had invited him to stay the night in a spare bed but Mr Atkin, from Saltney on Deeside, was "determined to go home".

The inquest heard another friend, Jake Johnson, said he had been on the phone to Mr Atkin trying to persuade him to get a taxi when the crash appeared to have happened.

"I was trying to get him to pull over, then I heard a loud noise and then nothing," he told the hearing.

Mr Atkin crashed his car into a barrier and traffic sign near the Mold junction of the A483 road near Wrexham at about 02:15 BST on 28 March. He was pronounced dead at the scene.