A drink driver who was pulled over by police died after running into oncoming traffic after failing a roadside breath test. 

Darren Rawthorn, a father-of-two, was heading home along the A47 after watching a Norwich City match when he was stopped by a patrol car.

An inquest into his death heard that officers had noticed that he was travelling with his lights on full beam after overtaking him with their blue lights on, as they headed to another incident in Dereham.

Sergeant Mark Barney told the hearing that he had indicated for Mr Rawthorn to pull over to advise him of this, but on doing so Mr Rawthorn slowed down and carried out a u-turn. 

Srg Barney followed him and stopped behind him when he saw he had parked and was getting out of his car. 

Srg Barney said: "He was upset and was very emotional. 

"But he did not present drunk to me.” 

Mr Rawthorn confessed to having drunk “three or four pints” and a test showed him to be slightly over the drink drive limit. 

Srg Barney continued: "He became extremely emotional... Screaming and crying and shouting ‘no, no, no’. 

"I have never had that before in 18 years of doing this. 

"I didn't like where this was going. This was a strong reaction." 

Before he was able to react, Mr Rawthorn sprinted across the road and "ran into an oncoming car" before landing on the road. 

Srg Barney began CPR on Mr Rawthorn and was assisted by both on and off duty medical professionals. 

Mr Rawthorn was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital before being moved to Addenbrooke’s where he died four weeks later on Wednesday, October 12. 

The court, held with a jury at Norfolk Coroner’s Court, heard how the 38-year-old had stopped his car on a stretch of road that is considered to be an area that has a "very high risk" of people being struck.

The inquest continues.