Austin Barry Cooper had been dropped off in a layby of the northbound carriageway, near to Castle Eden, after finishing one of his first shifts in his new job at Newbridge Engineering metal work firm, in Hartlepool.

The 31-year-old, who lived in Severn Close, in Peterlee, and was known as Barry, died when he was struck by a van travelling in the right-hand lane.

Police and witnesses said driver Simon James Rawson would have only had seconds to react, which would not have been enough to take action and avoid the accident.

An inquest into the death, held at Darlington County Court, heard the tragedy happened on October 31 last year at around 6.30pm.

Although that section of the road is lit, Mr Cooper was wearing dark clothing and would not have stood out to passing motorists.

Mr Rawson said Mr Cooper had been in the middle of the road when he first saw him and tried to swerve to avoid a collision. But he would have crashed into the central reservation had he steered away any further.

PC Michael Baxter, who investigated the accident, said: "The driver would have had very little or no time to take any avoiding action."

Coroner Andrew Tweddle recorded a verdict of accidental death and said he was satisfied extensive investigations had been carried out by police.