A FATHER paid tribute to his football-fanatic son whose drinking contributed to his death when he was hit by a lorry on the A12.Stuart Fulton, who played for Dedham Old Boys FC and on Sundays for Kendall Rovers, died on May 6 this year after the accident in Stratford St Mary at 11.

A FATHER paid tribute to his football-fanatic son whose drinking contributed to his death when he was hit by a lorry on the A12.

Stuart Fulton, who played for Dedham Old Boys FC and on Sundays for Kendall Rovers, died on May 6 this year after the accident in Stratford St Mary at 11.30pm.

He worked as a landscape gardener and had been drinking in a nearby pub with his sister shortly before walking out in the busy road and being hit by a lorry driver.

At the inquest, held yesterday at the Suffolk County Council offices in Russell Road, his father, Brian, said he wanted to make it clear the family did not blame the lorry driver for Stuart's death.

He said: “I want to thank the emergency services for what they did to try and save him and the people who stopped to try and help who were passing by.

“From facts presented it appears the lorry driver is totally innocent. He has suffered a trauma and I would like him to know we don't blame him at all.

“My son had so much to live for in life. He was a fantastic lad but his drinking habit contributed to his death.”

Greater Suffolk coroner Peter Dean read a report by Nicolette Fulton, Stuart's brother, which said she lived with her brother in Kenyan Close, Stratford St Mary, in a property owned by their parents.

They had both returned from Botswana two weeks before and Stuart had recently broken up with his girlfriend, Lorraine.

The report said: “He was sitting on the sofa when I arrived home and there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“We arranged to go to The Anchor (in Stratford St Mary) and when there discussed his birthday and what he would like for a present.”

The 28-year-old left at around 10.45pm and told his sister he was going home.

At 11.28pm a HGV driver, Colin Dancer, reported to police, via 999, that he had struck a pedestrian on the A12 and thought he had killed him.

Later tests would show Mr Fulton had 277 milligrams of alcohol in his blood, the legal limit to drink and still drive is 80 milligrams, which shows he had consumed a lot of alcohol.

Mr Dean recorded an open verdict because it was not clear what Mr Fulton's intentions were.