WITNESSES to an alleged high-speed race on a south Shropshire minor road that ended in two deaths told a Ludlow inquest of speeds reaching up to 100 mph.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded on two Wolverhampton men who died on the B4368 at Hungerford in July when their Subaru car collided head-on with a Mercedes Benz.

A middle-aged Staffordshire couple in the Mercedes escaped serious injury.

The men, driver Simon Whitehouse, 30, and passenger Simon Parker, aged 16, were seen in their green 2-litre Subaru Impreza as they came through Craven Arms and headed towards Bridgnorth.

A dark coloured BMW was also seen and the two appeared to be having a race, according to witnesses.

Andrew Price, of Craven Arms, saw the cars at about 12.30pm.

"I saw a BMW approach the roundabout from the Ludlow direction. He accelerated so hard on the roundabout that he sort of skidded towards me. The Subaru followed fast but not out of control," Mr Price told the inquest. "They both went towards Bridgnorth. They were doing about 100mph as they went on the stretch up by the Green Bridge".

Another Craven Arms witness, Jean Gray, said in a statement she was overtaken by the Subaru on the bend approaching Norton crossroads and had slowed down fearing a serious accident. Seconds later another saloon car overtook at speed. She thought the Subaru was doing around 90-100 mph.

Another witness, Duncan MacIntyre, of Craven Arms, was on his motorbike when he was overtaken on a bend immediately before Hungerford village by a green car.

"I never saw any brake lights as he went into the bend. I thought he was going too fast for the corner and the road conditions," he said.

Ludlow Sergeant Tony Mantle said efforts to trace the dark-coloured BMW had been unsuccessful.

South Shropshire Coroner Tony Sibcy said both men had died of serious head injuries. He offered his sympathy to both families.