Young football coach, 21, died after losing control of car while not wearing seatbelt, inquest finds

A 21-year-old football coach was not wearing a seatbelt when he was thrown from his car in a crash last year, an inquest heard.

Callum Royton Payne, who is from Sileby, died after suffering "catastrophic injuries" during the incident in May 2021, which saw his car spin out of control and hit a tree.

His parents have told of their heartbreak following the incident, describing the keen footballer as a "local legend" who was loved by many.

On the day of the incident, Mr Payne had been drinking with friends from football at a pub in Sutton Bonington.

Another group of men in the same bar seemed to be causing trouble, according to local reports.

When they were asked to leave, they became violent, throwing bricks at Mr Payne's group in frustration - but when the police were called, both parties left.

Mr Payne got into his car - but was not wearing his seatbelt correctly.

The inquest heard he was in the habit of clipping it in and sitting on it because he did not like wearing it.

Mr Payne's passenger said they drove out of the village and planned to meet at his house, but as he took a left-hand bend in Park Lane, Sutton Bonington, the car spun out of control.

The passenger remembered looking out of the vehicle and seeing his friend, who was unresponsive, on the grass before others came to help.

Gordon Clow, assistant coroner for Nottinghamshire, said Mr Payne had driven at speeds in excess of the speed limit of 30mph and his average speed was 48.3 mph.

"He was not wearing his seatbelt," he added at the Nottingham hearing on Monday, January 31.

He said the vehicle failed to negotiate a left-hand bend, travelled across to the right-hand lane, before the driver's side collided with "significant force" against a tree.

Both the force of impact and the seatbelt not being worn resulted in Mr Payne being thrown from the car and suffering "catastrophic injuries".

The cause of death was multiple injuries and the coroner's conclusion, road traffic collision.

At the time of the incident the level of alcohol in Mr Payne's system was near to the drink-drive limit but not over it, the inquest heard.

It was concluded Mr Payne was driving at a speed at or above 48mph at the time he lost control.

Mr Clow added: "Excessive speed was the fundamental cause of the collision."

The parents of Mr Payne - mum Louise and dad Royce - attended the inquest at the Council House, and did not wish to comment afterwards.

Mr Clow passed on his sincere condolences to them.

He said those two decisions - to drive too fast and without a seatbelt - had left them with "a hole that cannot be filled".

"I hope over time the awful way in which he was taken will fade".