A TEENAGE driver accused of showing off on a first date before crashing his car in which his 16-year-old passenger died, told a jury he prayed she would survive.

Zainab Lala suffered fatal injuries when 19-year-old university student Tosif Patel lost control of the BMW X5 at Belmont near Bolton on July 7, 2007.

Patel told Preston Crown Court: “I will never forget what happened. There has not been a day since the accident when I have not thought about Zainab and her family.”

Patel claimed the accident happened after the car’s rear wheels drifted towards the right.

It careered out of control, flipped about three or four times and hit a wall.

Zainab was thrown from the car as it was rolling. It is claimed the BMW was being driven at grossly excessive speeds at the time.

Patel told the court he passed his driving test in May, 2006. He and Zainab were distant relatives and on July 7 were out together as a couple.

Patel said he thought he was driving appropriately for the conditions.

He said: “At one point, the rear wheels of the car drifted towards the right. In order to correct this I steered towards the right.

“At this point the car lost control. I can remember the air bag in my face.

“When I got out of the car I was in a state of shock. I didn’t know which side of the road I was on.”

He said he saw Zainab lying on the floor and tried to ring for an ambulance. Later he was told she was in a serious condition.

The following morning he was praying for Zainab, hoping she would recover, the court heard.

But later that day, at a police station, he was told the teenager, from Halliwell, had died. Patel, of Blackburn Road, Bolton, denies causing death by dangerous driving The case continues.