A 19-year-old Royal Agricultural University student was hit by a car as he walked home from a party along a main road, an inquest heard yesterday.

Jonathan Hulley, known as 'Jobo', was hit by a taxi driver, causing fatal head injuries.

The driver told police that Jobo had 'jumped out' into his path making it impossible to avoid hitting him. Other witnesses said Jobi was walking on the oncoming lane midway between the verge and the central white line.

Gloucestershire coroner Katie Skerrett recorded a conclusion that Jobo died from a road traffic collision on the A433 Cirencester-Tetbury road on Sept 30 last year.

Jobo was living in student accommodation at the Cirencester-based university at the time of his death but his home address was Wittons Lane, Hoxne, Suffolk and members of his family travelled from there today for the hearing.

The inquest was told Jobo had been to a party at Jarvis Quarry Cottages, Tetbury Road, near Cirencester, and was walking home with others at 5.25am.

He was hit by a Vauxhall Zafira taxi driven by Eseroma Nasilasila, who was on the way to pick up someone else from the party venue.

Jobo was rushed to Southmead Hospital, Bristol, but could not be saved.

The coroner said a toxicology report had found Jobi had 175mgs of alcohol in his body per 100mls of blood. The limit for a driver is 80mgs. The effect would have been 'signficant drunkenness,' she said.

Tests also revealed he had taken Ecstasy, Methylenedioxyamphetamine (known as MDA), cocaine at a very low level, and Ketamine, also at a low level.

Police collision investigator Simon Wilson said the collision happened near the A429 Kemble junction.

"There had been a large party at a rural location nearby," he said. "The road was dark and it was difficult to see pedestrians.'

Jobo and his companion, Robert Thouless, were wearing dark clothing, he added.

The officer said a witness, Thomas Perks, who was driving his wife to work early that morning, said it was difficult seeing the pedestrians because of the dark conditions under the trees.

Recording her conclusion the coroner said "Jonathan was acting under an impairment, the combined effect of the alcohol and the other substances. It would have had a significant impact on how he was able to assess his circumstances, his awareness of them. "