Soldier died in speeding car

A soldier from Great Barr died when he was the passenger in a car which crashed when it was going too fast, an inquest heard.

Matthew Milbourne, aged 24, was a lance corporal in the 32 Engineer Regiment in Germany when he was killed in a Peugeot being driven by a colleague, Michael Phillips, who also died.

The car skidded and swerved to the other side of the road at a bend, and it collided with a lorry.

Mr Milbourne, of Thornbridge Avenue, suffered multiple injuries in the accident in Bergen on October 7 last year. Mr Phillips, aged 23, of Edinburgh, was also killed.

An inquest into Mr Milbourne's death held at Walsall Coroner's Court was told the car was travelling in excess of the speed limit.

A statement from lorry driver Bernt Heier said the car seemed to skid and spin around, hitting his vehicle.

He said he was aware the speed limit was 70 kilometres an hour and he was travelling below that, unlike the other vehicle.

He added: "This car was definitely driving faster than the permitted speed limit."

Investigations calculated the car was travelling at between 90-100 kilometres per hour.

Black Country coroner Robin Balmain recorded a verdict that Mr Milbourne died as a result of a road collision.

His family declined to comment after the inquest but later paid tribute to him in a statement which said: "Matt Milbourne, a loved son and brother, was a fantastic and energetic young man.

"Known and loved by his community, his passions for life were ignited here. His passion was cars."

The statement added that he served his country on an operational tour of Iraq in 2006 and was recently promoted to Lance Corporal.