AN Ipswich father whose 19-year-son son killed by a bus after a motor show today said his family can finally move on after the teenager's inquest.A jury returned an open verdict on the death of Adam Brand, from Ipswich, who died when a bus veered towards him at the end of the East Coast Extreme two-day event at the Bentwaters airbase, near Woodbridge, in July 2005.

AN Ipswich father whose 19-year-son son killed by a bus after a motor show today said his family can finally move on after the teenager's inquest.

A jury returned an open verdict on the death of Adam Brand, from Ipswich, who died when a bus veered towards him at the end of the East Coast Extreme two-day event at the Bentwaters airbase, near Woodbridge, in July 2005.

Mr Brand, of Bramford Road, was on the privately-owned airfield side of the base after the event had ended when he was hit by the bus, which had earlier been used to ferry people from a campsite to the show.

Detective Constable Chris Hutson, investigating officer, told the inquest that Shane Dawson, a bus driver, had allowed his friend Jack Newson to drive the vehicle down the quarter-of-a-mile drag airstrip.

He said a group of four friends, including Mr Brand, were standing nearby and had to “jump for their lives” as the bus approached, but Mr Brand was struck and killed.

Coroner Dr Peter Dean put to Mr Newson that there had been concerns that a game of “chicken” had been going on, where a vehicle is driven towards someone to see if they can get out of the way.

But Mr Newson, on legal advice, said he had no comment to make on the matter, although in a prepared statement he said he had done his best to avoid both people and cars, and the breaks on the vehicle had not seemed to be working correctly.

Mr Newson, of Ballingdon Street, Sudbury, was cleared at Ipswich Crown Court in December after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to continue his manslaughter by virtue of gross negligence trial last December.

Mr Dawson, of Harland Street, Ipswich, was cleared of the same charge at an earlier hearing.

But, following the inquest, Mr Brand's father Gary, 56, from Ipswich, said the family believed their son's death came about through a “game went wrong”.

He said: “The outcome was the best we could get. This provides satisfaction for Adam.

“We felt that we should not have lost our son in that manner. It's been two years now, perhaps now he can rest in peace, perhaps we can put this behind us now.”

Organiser of the event Paul Cunningham told the inquest, held at Ipswich Town Football Club, that the East Coast Extreme show had been a joint venture with Suffolk Constabulary which wanted to improve relations with motor enthusiasts.

N Did you know Adam Brand? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk