Smash sisters had taken drugs

Tragic sisters who died when their car smashed into a wall and burst into flames after a night out in Wolverhampton had taken a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, an inquest in the city was told today.

Karen Wood and Rachael Walters were both killed in the crash in Bilston Road, in the early hours of February 3.

Fire crews took more than 20 minutes to get to the scene, but the inquest heard the pair were already dead before the blaze.

They had been travelling out of the city along the A41 towards Bilston following a night out at Rothwells in the city centre when it smashed into a wall near to the Hartwell Toyota garage.

Devastated relatives and friends cried as Dr William Fuggle described their horrific injuries.

He said that Karen, aged 37, was killed instantly on impact but 25-year-old Rachael, who died of extensive lung and chest injuries, would have been unconscious for a few minutes. They both had alcohol and cannabis in their systems.

Karen's 19-year-old daughter Tara, who had been in the back seat of the car, managed to escape with a broken finger injuries to her legs and cuts to her face.

Benjamin Tonks had been driving in front of Karen on the night of the smash, and said he noticed her car "swerve violently" after travelling over a small humped bridge.