A nine-year-old Shropshire girl who died after a crash on a county road may not have been wearing a seat belt, an inquest heard.

Marcia Dale, of Much Wenlock, was found in the back seat of a Citroen driven by her mother Catharine Dale after a collision with a Land Rover on the B4371 Church Stretton to Much Wenlock Road on May 31 last year.

She was airlifted to Birmingham Children’s Hospital but later died of multiple injuries.

The inquest yesterday was told that Mrs Dale had been to Church Stretton to pick up the car after new brake pads were fitted at Central Garage.

Constable Lois Ellis, for West Mercia Police, told the inquest the driver had been wearing a seat belt, but there was no evidence any other seat belts had been in use at the time. She said it was impossible to tell where Marcia had been sitting.

It was possible the car had been travelling too fast for the corner and a steering correction had caused it to veer in an anti-clockwise direction, she added.

Witness statements read out by coroner Anthony Sibcy during the inquest at Ludlow Magistrates Court indicated Mrs Dale had said her brakes hadn’t worked.

The Land Rover was being driven by Rosemary Anderson with her husband Mark, their daughter Clare and her boyfriend Sam Birkinshaw as passengers.

Miss Anderson said her mother had tried to avoid a collision but the Citroen had been out of control and across both lanes of the road.

John MacKenzie a partner at Central Garage in Church Stretton, John Harris, garage foreman, and mechanic Janos Nacsa all gave evidence.

Mr Nacsa said he raised the matter of fitting brake discs as well as brake pads with his bosses, as the discs were worn. But Mr Harris told the court they had been instructed by Mrs Dale to change only the pads.

Raymond Wickson, a vehicle examiner for West Mercia Police, said the Citroen’s discs were worn but serviceable.

The hearing continues.

By Hannah Costigan