TEENAGER Max Lewis was killed when the car he was in smashed sideways into a van as three mates raced along a country road, a jury has been told.

The 19-year-old front seat passenger died at the scene after his mate Daniel Palmer lost control of his Citroen Saxo on the back road between Lacock and Melksham.

Although the 23-year-old admits causing his friend's death by careless driving he is on trial at Swindon Crown Court for the more serious death by dangerous driving.

And in the dock alongside him are pals Julian Drew, 26, and Connor Forester, 19, who it is said he was racing with when the crash happened on November 15 last year.

The three were driving fast in a convoy heading south along Forest Lane when Palmer, the last of the trio, lost control of his car on a bend, the court heard.

As he rounded a right hand bend an accident investigator said the car was on the nearside verge for 26 metres.

When it returned to the carriageway it had slewed round so it was sliding sideways into an oncoming van, leaving Max dead at the scene, the jury were told.

Showing the jurors pictures of the mangled Saxo, Charles Gabb, prosecuting, said it was a amazing anyone got out of it alive.

"You might think just how lucky Mr Palmer is," he told the jury of eight men and four women.

"He may not like being here as a defendant but at least he is alive. You may think looking at the wreckage: 'How did anyone escape from that?' "

He said the smash took place shortly before 3pm on the Saturday afternoon as the men headed back towards Melksham.

"They drove, the Crown say, at a speed that was far in excess of that which was safe. They were effectively racing each other.

"And a not in a sense that Lewis Hamilton races round the Monza circuit yesterday, but racing in a sense of one setting off very fast and the second driving very fast to stay with him and the third driving very fast to keep with his mates in front of him. A sort of convoy driving through this country lane.

"And so it was ladies and gentlemen an accident waiting to happen, and sadly it wasn't very long until it did happen."

He said witnesses in one vehicle would tell how the three cars overtook them at speed seconds before the smash.

And the occupants of three vehicles coming the other way would also describe seeing the cars haring past them and seeing the last of them crash.

He said a final witness, who was further along the road, would tell the court how he saw Drew's Nissan Primera and Forester's Citroen Saxo driving fast and almost touching each other after the smash, which had taken place behind them.

Mr Gabb said all three, from Melksham, were acting together and it was their case that they were all responsible for the death.

Drew, of Littlejohn Avenue, Forester, of Meadow Road, and Palmer, of Bowmans Court, deny death by dangerous driving.

Drew and Forester also deny alternative counts of dangerous driving. Palmer admits death by careless driving.

The case continues.