A father-of-one who drowned after his car plunged into a water-filled ditch on a wet and dark morning may have tried to escape through an open window, an inquest heard on Monday.

Andrew Jarvis, 32, of Smeeth Road, Marshland St James, near Wisbech, was driving his VW Golf to Palm Paper, where he started work at 6am, when it left the road at Gravel Bank, St John's Fen End in the early hours of November 24 last year.

Yesterday's inquest at King's Lynn county court heard that Mr Jarvis may have attempted to escape from the car through the rear, nearside window, which was open.

Collision investigator PC Forbes Scott said it was unclear why the car left the road, which had a 60mph speed limit.

He said it was wet and dark and there were no markings on the road.

He added: 'He may have been distracted or have lost sight of the demarcation between the verge and the carriageway and lost control.'

He said he was unable to estimate the speed the car was travelling.

In a statement read to the court, driver James Redfearn said he spotted the car in the ditch and called emergency services just after 7.25am.

Mr Jarvis was discovered inside the vehicle and while efforts were made to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement released after the inquest, Mr Jarvis' fiancé Micha McGuffog said: 'Andrew's loss of life at such a young age has left a huge void in both mine and our little boy Alfie's life, we miss him every single day. Andrew was a very caring, funny, friendly and loving person.'

The couple planned to get married and have a second child.

The cause of death was given as drowning after being submerged in water following a road accident.

Assistant coroner for Norfolk, David Osborne's conclusion was death from a road traffic collision.