A MAN was killed as he walked home just three days before Christmas, an inquest heard.

Luke Nappin, 34, was killed on December 22, 2012 when he was hit by two cars as he walked home after he had been drinking.

Mr Nappin, of The Green, Charlbury, was first knocked over at about 9.30pm by Celia Bolam, 78, as she drove from dropping a 92-year-old friend off at her home in the town.

Mrs Bolam did not realise she had hit a person, Oxford Coroners Court was told on Wednesday.

She continued driving for a short distance before returning to the scene.

A report by consultant forensic pathologist Dr Nicholas Hunt said this impact was likely to have rendered Mr Nappin unconscious.

As Mrs Bolam was returning to the scene, the court was told, a further driver, Peter Moss, ran over Mr Nappin as he lay in the street and the inquest was told this impact was what would have caused the fatal injuries.

Mr Nappin, a welder, who was wearing dark clothing at the time of the incident, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford but pronounced dead at 10.30pm.

Collision investigator Andrew Evans said he was unable to determine the speed both cars were travelling, but both drivers said they were driving up to 30mph.

The inquest was told Mr Nappin was three and a half times over the drink drive limit.

A statement by his friend Lisa Brown told how she and Mr Nappin had been sitting outside the Co-Op in Charlbury and she had suggested he should go home as he was very drunk.

She said: “He was stumbling as if he was going to fall over and I tried to get him to go home as he was so drunk.”

In her police interview, Mrs Bolam said: “When I was driving I was looking where I was going then all of a sudden I heard a bump and this man walked out on my left and there was a shadow on the car. I slammed on the brakes and did an emergency stop and looked around to see what it was and if I could see anybody.”

Mrs Bolam turned her car around and flagged down a passing driver, as she did not have a mobile phone.

At the same time, another passersby and Mr Moss were with Mr Nappin attempting CPR before paramedics arrived.

Coroner Darren Salter recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: “There are some factors we just don’t know. We don’t know whether he was facing the car, was stationary or moving...

“We do know from evidence he was heavily intoxicated with a reading of 307mg which is about three and a half times the drink drive limit.”