A TEENAGE driver said he was not racing the car which sped past him before flipping into the air and causing the death of his friend.

Duncan Rowland's police interview was read to a jury describing the moments leading up to the fatal crash in London Road, Hadleigh, on October 22, 2006.

Charlie Morris was a passenger in 19-year-old David Bissmire's Vauxhall Corsa when it hit the Victoria House Corner roundabout flinging Mr Morris into the Bernard Braine clock.

He died shortly after.

Bissmire of Sedgehill Road, Lewisham, has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving - he will be sentenced after the trial of Rowland, 18, and Sam Lebeau, 19.

The pair are accused of "racing" Bissmire and also causing the death of Mr Morris through dangerous driving.

Mr Rowland said: "David (Bissmire) undertook Sam (Lebeau) and me. He was going fast.

"Once I could see he was not braking I knew something was going to happen. I saw smoke, he hit the kerb, the car went on the kerb before starting to flip.

"It went on it's back and hit the roundabout. Charlie got thrown out the window. I stopped right there and ran over to them."

He said Bissmire was going a lot faster than him.

He added: "He was definitely going over 50mph. He was flying past me."

In response to a police officer's question about whether he was racing, he said: "I was not racing him. I would not race.

" It's stupid. I'm not the kind of person who kits up a car to race. He (David) was probably showing off."

Lebeau of Longhill Road, Catford, and Rowland, of Charminster Road, Bromley, are standing trial at Basildon Crown Court.

Both deny causing death by dangerous driving.

They also deny two charges of causing bodily harm to Christopher Savage and Andrew Spicer, who were the other passengers in Bissmire's Corsa.

The trial continues.