A YOUNG Powys man died in a road crash after the car in front was forced to brake by a tree branch lying in the road, an inquest has heard.

Thomas James Dawes, 23, from Llanfyllin, died after the red Volkswagen Polo he was driving collided with an 11-tonne Wynnstay lorry on the A490 between Guilsfield and Pentre'r beirdd just before 8am on the morning of October 5, 2021.

An inquest into Mr Dawes’ death this week concluded he died as a result of being involved in a road traffic collision.

Coroner Gaynor Kynaston said the “well liked” and “amazing young man” had not been able to react quickly enough when a car in front of him braked because of a large tree branch causing a hazard in the road.

The inquest heard three vehicles were involved in the incident, including a white Smart car in front of Mr Dawes’ red Polo. Evidence was read out from witnesses at the scene, including one who likened the crash to an “explosion”.

John Lewis, animal feed lorry's driver, who was driving to Llansantffraid, recalled a “tremendous bang”.

“As I came round a corner a vehicle flashed its lights at me, I was cautious as to why. My attention was then drawn to the opposite carriageway, there was a branch of a tree in the road,” said Mr Lewis.

“I saw a white car coming. A red car then appeared from nowhere. It came straight into the front of my wagon and rolled over.

“The door wouldn’t open, so I forced it open with my shoulder. I went to get out, but there were no steps, they had been ripped off in the impact. It happened in a split second.”

Toxicology tests revealed that neither Mr Dawes nor Mr Lewis had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Craig Neil, an off-duty firefighter who was in a vehicle behind the lorry, and Thomas Colbridge, who was travelling in a car directly behind the Polo, both rushed to Mr Dawes’ aid but Mr Neil was unable to find a pulse.

Mr Colbridge said of the Polo: “It moved sharply into the other carriageway, clipping the corner of the white car and spun, colliding at speed into the lorry.

“There was a massive impact, the driver’s side hit the front corner of the lorry. The car lifted and flipped. It was as if the car had exploded as bits of the car went everywhere.”

Visibility on the day was described as good, although it was wet and dark because of rain, and there were leaves and debris in the road.

Aaron Maskell, the Smart car driver who had his five-year-old son in the vehicle described how he had been alerted to the hazardous tree branch by being flashed by Mr Lewis, the lorry driver.

“I braked heavily to stop and avoid the branch," he said. "I stopped before the branch, but sharply after stopping I was hit from behind and pushed diagonally across the road.

“My son became hysterical and I tried to calm him down. I saw a red car on its side and heavily damaged, the road was covered in shrapnel."

Collision investigator Gary Rees, from Dyfed Powys Police, said neither the Polo nor the lorry had any defects contributing to the crash, and that there was no evidence of the brakes being applied.

Ms Kynaston, in conclusion, said: “The car in front of Tom slowed down quickly because of a tree branch in the road.

“For unknown reasons Tom did not react quickly enough, causing him to swerve into the path of an oncoming HGV. There is no evidence he was distracted by anything and there were no alcohol or drugs in system.”

A tribute from Mr Dawes' family, provided at the time of his death, described him as an “amazing young man”.

“The family are devastated and heartbroken by the tragic loss of an amazing young man, who will be greatly missed by everyone,” they said.