A ‘HAPPY’ teenager with ‘a lot of potential’ had her ‘life cut short’ when she was left disabled after the car she was travelling in turned into a verge and collided with a wall, an inquest heard.

Jessica Brown was 15 years old when the driver of the car she was travelling in ‘lost control’ and the car left the road, ending up in a verge.

Avon Coroners Court in Flax Bourton heard how Miss Brown was left disabled with brain damage after the crash.

Assistant Coroner Peter Harrowing said she died this year aged 23 due to bronchial pneumonia, caused by her brain damage, which in turn had resulted from the collision.

Miss Brown’s sister Sara Cronje said after the inquest: “She had a lot of potential to go far in life. Unfortunately it was cut way too short before she got to experience it.”

Miss Brown, who lived in Banwell with her family, was a passenger in a car being driven along the B4058 near Iron Acton, Gloucestershire, in October 2007.

A statement by PC Horsley was read out in court, in which he said: “The Ford Escort was being driven by Liam Emery on the B4058.

“There were two other passengers in the car at the time.

“As the car was negotiating a left-hand bend the driver lost control which initially resulted in the vehicle crossing into the right lane in the opposite carriageway.

“The car rotated clockwise into the verge and the top hit the wall.”

PC Horlsey said the tyre marks showed the car had reached ‘critical speed’.

He said: “A critical speed situation is where the vehicle is travelling a curved path at either too high a speed for the roads or excessive speed impact.

“Liam denied travelling at excessive speed.”

Miss Brown suffered serious head injuries, and had a metal plate fitted in her skull. But the area around it eroded, leading to pneumonia.

She died at her home in Banwell this month.

Her mother, Carole Brown, said: “She was very happy. She loved swimming, and dancing, and did pottery.”