The driver of a car which travelled the wrong way down a motorway, crashing head-on into another vehicle, had driven in that manner to evade police before, an inquest heard today.

James Bunnett, the only survivor of the crash which killed five people, said he was a passenger in the car driven by Christopher "Rizza’’ Beresford who was "a mad and insane driver and didn't care’’.

Mr Bunnett said in a statement read to Newport Coroner's Court: "I know Rizza's a disqualified driver and there's no way he would stop for police.

"I know he's driven up motorways the wrong way before. Other people told me so after the accident.’’ The Ford Mondeo driven by Mr Beresford was being pursued by police at speeds of up to 126mph before it was driven the wrong way up an exit sliproad of the M4, the inquest heard.

The crash happened on the motorway near junction 24 at Newport, south Wales, at about 3.10am on September 17 last year.

Christopher Beresford, 18, and two of his passengers, Lee Maggs, 23, and Sam Case, 19, all from Newport, died in the crash.

The couple who died in the other car, James Stafford, 69, and his wife, Bridget, 70, had been travelling home to Surrey following a holiday in Ireland.

Mr Bunnett said in his statement they had been driving around Newport earlier that evening and had stopped near a housing estate in Langstone.

He said they were walking around and he was thinking about stealing a car because he was bored when police turned up.

Mr Bunnett said they all ran off and only returned to the Mondeo when the officers had gone.

He said that when they drove off he became aware of blue lights flashing behind them.

"I can't remember going on the motorway although I've got a vague recollection of the car losing control,’’ said Mr Bunnett.

"We were going at an insane speed. Rizza couldn't control it and Sam leant over and tried to control the car before they hit the (other) car.’’ He said that after the crash "I can't recall any words spoken. All I recall is silence’’.

He added that the next thing he remembered was waking up in hospital.

"I can't believe he drove up the wrong side,’’ Mr Bunnett said.

"He was saying there was no way the police would chase him up the other side.

"I remember him saying he would drive the wrong way if the police were chasing him as it was the only way to lose them.’’ Sarah Inker, who knew Mr Beresford, Mr Maggs and Mr Case, said she spoke to Mr Maggs on the phone before the crash.

She said in a statement read to the court Mr Maggs told her "I can't speak now. I'm in a police chase’’.

She said: "I said 'get out of the car' and he said 'I can't' and put the phone down.’’ Miss Inker said she called him back and Mr Maggs told her they were going the wrong way up the motorway.

Miss Inker added: "He said 'the police are chasing us'".

Miss Inker said the next time she called him she couldn't get through.

She said she called Mr Case and all she could hear was someone shout "Woah!’’ and what sounded like tyres skidding.

Craig Baker, a friend of the men in the Mondeo, said in a statement: "I've been with them when they've had conversations about getting away from police by driving the wrong way down the carriageway so the police can't chase them.’’ Other motorists travelling on the M4 just ahead of the Staffords said in statements that they witnessed a car driving towards them with the headlights flashing and the hazard lights on.

The inquest heard that the Mondeo was being pursued by traffic police because there had been a suspicious incident in the Penhow area and it had failed to stop for officers.

Post-mortem examinations carried out on all those killed in the crash revealed they died of multiple injuries.

Blood tests showed that Mr Beresford and Mr Case had taken cocaine in the hours before the crash but it would no longer have been affecting them when the collision happened.

Nobody involved in the crash had been drinking alcohol.

The inquest was adjourned until tomorrow.