The parents of a teenager who died in a horrific car crash paid tribute to their "wonderful" daughter yesterday following the inquest into her death.

Dave and Ellen Seymour said their daughter Rebecca had been loved by everyone and her death was "such a waste of a beautiful daughter".

Rebecca, 19, of Ridgeside Avenue, Patcham, Brighton, was travelling with four others in a red Nissan Micra when it crashed into a Ford Focus on the A27 at the junction with the B2233 Nyton Road, near Fontwell, on November 2 last year.

The driver, Stephen Bernard, 18, of Pine Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, and front seat passenger James Daniels, 19, of Rookery Road, Newhaven, also died in the crash. An inquest into the death of all three was held in Chichester yesterday. Three other people were seriously injured in the crash.

The court heard that a momentary lapse in concentration as Chichester College University students drove to a cinema in Portsmouth had led to the deaths.

Pathologist Greg Monteith said the teenagers all died from multiple injuries. A test carried out on Mr Bernard's blood proved negative for alcohol and drugs.

The weather was bad, it was dark and the road was wet. Jamie Evans, 19, of Thatcham, Berkshire, who survived the crash but suffered a ruptured spleen and cuts and bruises said they were travelling in the "worst rain" he had seen for a while.

He said they had been talking and listening to music but the next thing he remembered was waking up to the noise of the car engine after the car had crashed.

Philip Smith, 49, of Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, was driving his Ford Focus along the westbound carriageway of the A27 when he saw the Nissan come across the road in front of him at a 90 degree angle. He said: "I took my foot off the accelerator and I realised they did not seem to be turning and were coming straight across.

"I could not swerve to avoid it, there was nowhere to go. It happened so quickly."

Mr Smith suffered a broken leg and bruising in the crash.

PC Michael Scott, from the Sussex Police collision investigation unit, said no mechanical fault was found with either car and there was no evidence to suggest that Mr Bernard had fallen ill at the wheel.

He said: "It is my personal opinion that it was an accident in the true sense of the meaning because it was a momentary lapse of concentration."

West Sussex coroner Roger Stone recorded a verdict of accidental death and described the crash as "absolutely tragic".

The court heard that action had been taken to improve the signs at the junction of Nyton Road. A spokesman for West Sussex County Council said: "After a fatal accident there is always an investigation. The signs were changed to reinforce to drivers that traffic has to go left at that junction."

After the inquest, Rebecca's 54-year-old father said: "The verdict was expected. The road has got some kind of record for accidents. It would be difficult for anybody driving in the wet and the dark."

Of Rebecca he said: "She was an all rounder and good at everything. Sport was her main love and she had been training with Brighton and Hove Athletics Club since she was young.

"She was fun-loving and she was a touch above the rest. That was borne out by the letters of sympathy that we got. She was loved by all and she was wonderful in every way."

ruth.lumley@theargus.co.uk