Shropshire Star

Whitchurch woman, 86, died after pulling out in front of lorry at A41 junction

An 86-year-old Whitchurch woman died after pulling out of a junction in her car in front of a lorry, an inquest heard.

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The crash happened at a junction of the A41 at Grindley Brook. Photo: Google StreetView

Vera Maud Austwick, from St Wenefredes Green, died at the Royal Stoke University Hospital on September 20.

A day earlier, at about 12.30pm, Mrs Austwick was the sole occupant of a vehicle involved in a collision at a junction of the A41 at Grindley Brook, near Whitchurch, the inquest, held at Shirehall on Tuesday, heard.

Mrs Austwick was coming from the Malpas road to join the main road.

Constable Helen O’Connor said: “Upon arrival I could see there were two vehicles involved.

"I arrived 20 to 30 minutes after the collision had taken place.

"Because of the way that the vehicles were facing, the flat bed (lorry) was facing the direction of Chester and Mrs Austwick's vehicle was facing sideways so I could see Mrs Austwick had tried to turn out of the junction.

"I spoke to the driver of the other vehicle, he said he spotted a small silver vehicle at the mouth of the junction and it seemed that the vehicle was going to give way, but the silver vehicle started to come across his pathway.

"He said there was nothing that he could do apart from slamming his brakes on."

John Ellery, coroner for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, concluded that Mrs Austwick's death was due to a road traffic collision.

He said: "It does appear sadly, for whatever reason, that Mrs Austwick has pulled out in front of the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries."

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