A FATHER was almost three times the drink-drive limit when he killed himself and his four-year-old son in a car crash.

Tony Eldridge was driving without his seatbelt or insurance as the Subaru Impreza he had borrowed from his sister’s partner careered off Bucknell Road, Bicester, and hit a tree.

The 36-year-old kitchen fitter and his son Bradley, who was strapped in and sitting on a booster seat, died instantly in an incident described by a police officer as the worst he had seen in more than 13 years’ service.

Last night the family said Mr Eldridge was a “devoted family man” who loved and cherished his children.

Yesterday an inquest into the deaths at Oxford Coroner’s Court heard father-of-three Mr Eldridge, of Buckingham Road, Bicester, had 221 milligrams of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal driving limit is 80mg.

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner ruled Bradley had been unlawfully killed by his father.

The court heard Mr Eldridge, who was separated from his wife Sarah, had picked up Bradley from Fritwell in the evening on February 17 to spend the following day together.

Witness Nicola Lewis, an off-duty police officer, was driving behind Mr Eldridge as he went “painfully slowly” over speed bumps in Bucknell at about 8pm before he “put his foot down” as he reached a 60mph limit zone heading to Bicester In a statement she said she later saw headlights and brake lights ahead of her and then came across the crash scene, near the entrance to Hawkwell Farm. No other cars were involved.

Pc Gary Taitt, who arrived shortly afterwards, said: “I was instantly shocked by the amount of damage to the vehicle.

“I have attended numerous accidents in 13 and a half years of service and never have I seen such devastation caused to a vehicle.”

Crash investigator Pc Daniel Henderson said the car suffered “catastrophic damage”.

He said there was no way of telling exactly how fast the P-reg Impreza was going, but added: “It (the scene) did indicate to me the vehicle may have been travelling in excess of 60mph.”

He added: “I see no reason (for the crash) other than perhaps drifting on to the verge and the driver perhaps over-reacting by quite harsh steering.”

Mr Gardiner said Mr Eldridge had died as a result of the accident and said: “He had an alcohol reading almost three times the legal limit. That is the most likely cause of the incident.

“It appears to me a prosecution for unlawful killing would have been successful – therefore in respect of Bradley he was killed unlawfully.”

A statement from the Eldridge family read: “Tony was a devoted family man who worked hard and always had time for others.

“He loved and cherished all three of his children and nothing will ever change that.

“Tony and Bradley were like two peas in a pod – lively, outgoing and cheeky, and two very popular characters.

“All our thoughts and memories are brilliant and stay that way. These two special people will always be in our thoughts and for ever in our hearts.”