A drink-driver died after smashing his Lotus into a bollard and being thrown from the car, an inquest heard.

Andrew Zydlo, of Swanton Gardens, Southfields, was found to be two-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit and had tranquillisers in his bloodstream after the crash, on January 30 last year.

The 40-year-old died at the scene in Putney having sustained multiple injuries, including a fractured skull.

On the evening of the crash, he brought a bottle of brandy home and drunk it, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday.

He later asked his mother, Halina Zydlo, who he lived with, to give him the keys to his yellow Lotus Exige sports car. She refused but he forced them off her and drove off.

Mrs Zydlo then alerted the police about her son, who suffered with drink and drug problems along with mental health issues.

Officers PC Tony Dixon and PC Alex Hatrick responded to the police radio call and saw the car driving down Putney HIll.

PC Dixon said: “I heard its engine rev and speed past us. I turned the car around to try and stop the gentleman.

“But I saw the car was no longer in the road and was in the air and then it hit the central reservation.”

The officers stopped the car in the middle of the road to stop oncoming traffic and got out to attend to Mr Zydlo, who had been thrown out of the car.

Another witness, cab-driver Colin Titchener, was travelling up Putney Hill when he saw the crash.

He said: “The car was launched into the air and I thought it would hit me so I turned off the road.

“I then noticed the car started rolling and saw a body at the side of the road by the barrier.”

Dr Peter Wilkins, who compiled a post-mortem report, said Mr Zydlo’s injuries were so severe that doctors would have been unable to save him.

An investigation by the Met’s directorate of professional standards also began after the crash to determine whether there was a link between the actions of officers and Mr Zydlo’s death - but there was found to be none.

Deputy Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe said: “It is a particularly tragic case of a young man only 40-years-old.

“I am going to record that he died of multiple injuries and died as the result of a traumatic road death.”