A MAN from Wanstead has told a court of the chilling moment a car crashed into his vehicle, killing his friend.

James Morgan was on his way to a birthday party with his wife and some friends on April 6 last year when his car was hit on the M4 in Cardiff.

One of his passengers, 83-year-old Haulwyn Williams of Aldersbrook, died of a heart attack a week later.

A post-mortem analysis concluded the attack was brought on by the serious injuries he suffered in the crash.

This week two people faced the dock at Cardiff Crown Court charged with causing his death by dangerous driving.

Robert Veart, of Milverton Road, Llanrumney in Cardiff and Natasha Hardacre of Commercial Street, Aberbargoed in South Wales, who were both driving seperate vehicles, deny the charges.

Prosecutor Marian Lewis told the court that the combined driving of Mr Veart and Ms Hardacre contributed to the death of Mr Williams.

She said that Hardacre was coming off the slip road in her Renault Megane at junction 32 of the motorway, when Veart, who was travelling in a white van, began following her closely.

Ms Lewis said Veart was "bullying and far to close to the vehicle in front" as he tried to overtake Hardacre's car.

She said that Hardacre then swerved into his lane, failing to observe properly what was going on behind her.

She added that witnesses then saw Hardacre's car veer across the road, colliding with a crash barrier before then crossing three lanes of traffic and hitting Mr Morgan's Nissan Micra.

Ms Lewis said Mr Morgan was in no position to avert the crash.

Mr Morgan told the court he was taking his companions to a 70th birthday party in Swansea Valley, and was driving at about 55 to 60 miles per hour when the crash happened.

He said: "The car came off the slip road and touched the side of the van and then it went into the barricades.

"The next thing I remember it was bang into me."

The case continues.