Pedestrian died in night-time A5 tragedy near Oswestry

The family of Steve Norcross, who was 54, has warned pedestrians and cyclists to take care at night on the A5 near Gobowen.

Shropshire’s coroner John Ellery heard evidence from the female driver whose Vauxhall Mokka hit him near the junction with the B5009 at 10.40pm on October 13.

The popular New Saints FC fan had been out drinking with close friend Dean Williams in Shrewsbury and the pair had taken the train to Gobowen.

From there they tried to get home to Weston Rhyn first via taxi, and then by phoning Mr Williams’s wife Rebecca.

She was unable to collect them because she was putting her children to bed, so they began walking towards Weston Rhyn.

Mrs Williams later became worried and set off in her car to find the two.

Coroner’s officer Michael Caesar-Homden said that as she approached the A5 from the B5009, she saw Mr Williams and then immediately heard “a loud bang” as Mr Norcross was hit by another car. Reading her evidence, Mr Caesar-Homden said: “It was pitch black, there was no other light source. It had rained that day. There was no way the driver could have seen Steve.”

Encourage

Mr Norcross was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries.

Mr Ellery recorded a conclusion that the death was caused by a road traffic collision, and said there was no fault on the driver’s part.

Afterwards, Sherry Norcross said she was grateful for the support of people in Weston Rhyn following her brother-in-law’s death, and that she hoped it would encourage people walking near roads to stay visible.

She said: "We would like to thank everybody that has supported us over the past three months, because it has been a long three months.

"The number of people you see walking down the road without anything reflective, and also younger people on bikes."

She urged people using the road network to "be seen and be safe".