A TROUBLED schoolgirl had drunk heavily and taken a cocktail of drugs before she laid down in the road and was run over by a car, an inquest heard.

Megan Cowell, 15, died after she was run over by a taxi and carried for 11m along Clay Hill Road, Vange, late on the evening of November 10, 2006.

An inquest into Megan's death, at Chelmsford yesterday, found the youngster died as a result of a road traffic collision.

She had taken cocaine and cannabis and drunk enough alcohol to send her almost three times over the legal drink-drive limit, over the evening leading up to the tragic accident.

The inquest, which was attended by Megan's mum Christine and a handful of her relatives, heard taxi driver David Downton, 54, had no chance of seeing the youngster, or stopping his cab in time to avoid hitting her.

Megan, who attended Appleton School, Benfleet, was wearing dark clothing and had laid down in an extremely dark part of the road during a torrential rain storm.

Mr Downton, who was driving his silver Ford Mondeo and carrying three passengers, was cleared of any blame, as forensic and police experts told how Megan, of Gratmore Green, Basildon, was seen lying down in the road shortly before being hit.

Witnesses told the inquest that before she was struck they saw Megan staggering in and out of the road shouting "I'm fed up" and "Someone kill me, I want to die, I've had enough".

The inquest heard how a post mortem revealed that Megan, who worked as a part time ranger at Wat Tyler Country Park, had been out with friends when the tragedy occurred, near the Barge pub.

In giving evidence, PC Duncan Fairwell, of Lain-don traffic police, said although the exact speed Mr Downton was travelling could not be determined, there was no evidence he had been speeding.

He added it was not clear exactly what position Megan was lying on the ground.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray expressed her condolances to Megan's family and said the amount of drugs and alcohol she had taken that night would have clouded her judgement.

She said Megan had been troubled in the past, but stressed she was not convinced Megan was trying to deliberately take her own life. Mrs Cowell was too distressed to speak at any length after the hearing.

However, she released a pre-prepared statement that said: "We all miss Megan every day and still love her. That will never change."

Driver had no chance of seeing her

CAB driver David Downton told the inquest he had no idea Megan was lying in his way as he drove along Clay Hill Road.

The first thing the 54-year-old knew about the horror was when he felt his taxi go over what felt like a bump.

Mr Downton, who is chairman of the Basildon Private Hire Association, immediately stop-ped his silver Ford Mondeo to investigate, only to discover he had run over the youngster.

The driver, who had picked up three passengers from the nearby Watermill pub, said: "I got out and saw what had happened.

"I think I screamed. It was in despair of the whole situation."

Mr Downton, who has not faced any criminal charges as a result of the collision, told Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray: "I can honestly look you in the eye and say I didn't see anything whatsoever. If I had I would have stopped."

After giving evidence Mr Downton broke down as he turned towards Megan's mum Christine, who sat opposite him.

Struggling to speak, he said: "I just want to say how so deeply sorry I am.

"I've been wanting to say that to you." Police experts said Mr Downton had no chance of seeing Megan, due to her position in the road and the poor visibility due to heavy rainfall that night.

Megan was carried about 11m along the road from the initial point of impact.

She suffered multiple injuries and although ambulance crews were quick to arrive, she was pronounced dead at the scene.