THE GRIEVING mother of a man who died when his friend's car plunged into the River Usk says driver Leighton Pring should not be blamed.

Jacqueline Hill's son Anthony, 35, Durham Road, died on December 16 last year when a car being driven by Mr Pring on Caerleon Road at St Julians left the road and plunged into icy waters.

Matthew Reardon, 23, of Eveswell Street, Mr Pring, 22, and 34-year-old Martin Biggs - both of Bishton Street - also died in the crash.

Only Kristian Reardon, Matthew's brother, managed to escape the submerged car to raise the alarm.

The inquest at Usk yesterday heard that Mr Pring kept his three driving test failures a secret from his family and friends.

A provisional licence holder, he failed his driving test three times in 2001 but told people he had passed.

He was driving friends back from a pool match in Caerleon just before Christmas last year when his car careered off the road and plunged into the Usk.

No L-plates were found attached to the car or in the vicinity of the accident. Speaking after the inquest Mrs Hill said said: "It has been an emotional roller coaster of a day. The facts speak for themselves but no matter what caused the accident my son is no longer here today. No blame will be laid at anyone's door.

"There has been no victory - just nothingness and our lives have been ripped apart by what has happened.

"The inquest has been hanging over our heads for a long time now and I think all the families are looking forward to some peace, solace, and healing.

"I just feel very, very sad that we have lost the lives of four young men from Newport." She added: "It wasn't the road that killed my son - it was the river and I still feel today that there should be some safety barriers on that road. It will only take a blown tyre for the same thing to happen and I feel it is only a matter of time before it does happen again. I wouldn't like to see this happen to any family and I do hope that something good comes out of this."

The inquest was told that Mr Pring suffered serious head injuries in a road accident aged 12, which left him with a disabled left arm and leg.

His distressed mother Diane, of Bishton Street, Newport, told the inquest he enjoyed pool and joined a Carpenters Arms team. He worked on the production line at LG and raised funds for a hospital charity.

Mrs Pring said she had no worries about his ability to drive the specially modified car and did not know that he had not passed his test.

Gwent coroner David Bowen said Newport had lost "four young men in the prime of their lives".

He recorded verdicts of accidental death. Mrs Hill thanked Mr Bowen for his handling of the inquest and Gwent police, particularly family liaison officer Sheena Haines.