A young mother died after crashing her friend's car while driving over the limit after a night out drinking and inhaling laughing gas, an inquest has heard.
Rhianne Nicholas, 26, from Beddau, South Wales, died at the roadside when she lost control of the red Vauxhall Adam she was driving and it smashed into a tree in the early hours of August 29 last year.
The mother-of-one, who leaves behind a five-year-old daughter Mia, had been drinking with friend Jodie Maher in the town of Bridgend on the night of her death.
The pair returned home in Jodier's car in the early hours of the morning and ate some food before bed.
Rhianne Nicholas, 26, (pictured) from Beddau, Wales, died on August 29 last year when the red Vauxhall Adam she was driving smashed into a tree, an inquest has heard
At the inquest held at Pontypridd Coroners' Court on Wednesday, the court heard how Rhianne had planned to stay the night with Jodie but had changed her mind after her friend went to bed and took her car without asking.
Ms Maher said in her statement that they had also inhaled 'nitrous oxide in balloons' after getting back to her house and had been 'laughing and joking' together all evening.
Rhianne took Jodie's car, a red Vauxhall Adam, and attempted to drive home but crashed soon afterwards near Tonypandy.
The court heard how the car driven by Rhianne had mounted the kerb before losing control and crossing the carriageway. The vehicle then collided with a tree.
The hearing was told that emergency services attended the A4119 near Tonypandy at around 3.45am following a 999 call by a nearby resident.
The mother-of-one, who leaves behind a five-year-old daughter Mia, (pictured together) had been drinking with friend Jodie Maher in the town of Bridgend on the night of her death
A post-mortem report revealed that Rhianne (pictured) had a blood alcohol level of 109mg per 100ml of blood at the time of her death, which is over the legal driving limit of 80mg
Police statements said there was no sign of emergency braking and that the car had been travelling at 62mph at the time of the crash.
Rhianne was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the collision.
A post-mortem report by pathologist Dr Stephen Leadbeatter of the University Hospital of Wales revealed that Rhianne had a blood alcohol level of 109mg per 100ml of blood. This is over the legal
