Storm Doris: Pensioner killed when tree fell onto car on Shropshire's A49 is named
A man who died after the car he was in was struck by a falling tree at the height of Storm Doris has been named as Alan Edward Green.
Mr Green, 85, of Craven Arms, died in hospital on February 26, three days after the crash that closed the A49 between Church Stretton and Shrewsbury throughout the morning and into the afternoon of February 23, as the storm pummelled the region.
He was the front passenger in a car travelling north along the A49 when the accident happened, and had to be cut free from the vehicle along with the driver.
Assistant coroner Joanna Lees opened and adjourned an inquest into his death at Shirehall in Shrewsbury today. It will be heard in full on June 29.
The coroner's court heard a statement from Julie Hartridge, coroners officer, said Mr Green was travelling in a red Ford Focus about a mile north of Church Stretton at about 9.25am on the day of the crash, when "a large ivy-covered tree" was blown over and struck the car.
Fire crews were called out to free him and the driver but "on release from the vehicle his condition deteriorated", Mrs Hartridge said.
Mr Green, a retired decorator who was married to wife Dorothy Green, was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital's major trauma centre but remained in a critical condition and died days later from a mixture of chest trauma, pneumonia and heart problems, she said.
The crash closed the main road from 9.30am to 2.30pm while emergency services dealt with the scene. Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident to come forward by calling 101 and quoting incident 179S of February 23.
Mr Green was not the only casualty from accidents caused by Storm Doris, with three others known nationally, including that of university worker Tahnie Martin, 29, in Wolverhampton, who was struck by flying debris.
Shropshire Council kept a log of fallen trees reported which had swelled to more than 80 by the time the worst of the storm had passed over and Western Power Distribution engineers were dealt with 42 different power cut incidents affecting about 4,000 homes at the height of the storm.
