Pensioner women died in Shropshire A49 head-on crash
Two elderly women died in a head-on collision on the A49 in Shropshire after one of the cars veered across the road.
An inquest at Shrewsbury was told that Eunice Elizabeth Osborne, 79, of Wellington, Telford, and Ada Alice Ridsdale, 94, of Newport, South Wales, both died from multiple injuries at the scene of the crash that happened just south of Church Stretton at about 2.45pm on September 14 last year.
Other drivers stopped to help at the scene, including a retired doctor and an off-duty paramedic. They gave CPR to the women but were unable to save them.
John Ellery, Coroner for Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin, recorded verdicts that the two women died from a road traffic collision.
Miss Osborne of Vineyard Road, Wellington, was the driver of a white Hyundai car that had been travelling north. No-one else was in the vehicle.
Mr Ellery said that, for a reason unknown, Miss Osborne had failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and her car had crossed onto the wrong side of the road.
It collided head-on with an orange Fiat Punto being driven by Mrs Ridsdale’s son, David.
Mrs Ridsdale was a passenger in the back of the car while Mr Ridsdale’s wife, Carolyn, was a passenger in the front.
Witnesses
Carolyn Ridsdale suffered serious arm, heel and pelvic injuries and attended the inquest in a wheelchair.
Mr Ridsdale said he had been driving south and had just gone through Church Stretton when he saw the white car cross the centre white line towards him.
He had no time to react, he said.
Statements from several witnesses were read out, all stating that the white car had moved into the opposite lane into the path of the Punto.
A driver who had been behind Miss Osborne's car, Mrs Mary Lamb, said: "It was as if the white car had pulled out to overtake an imaginary vehicle."
Retired doctor Bridget Kirsop and off-duty paramedic, Christine Morris, were among those who stopped to help those in the crash.
Police accident investigator Ian Edwards said in a statement to the inquest it appeared the driver of the Hyundai had either been distracted, had been suffering from fatigue or had suffered a medical episode.
The coroner told Mr Ridsdale: "Miss Osborne's vehicle went from her side of the road into the path of your vehicle. It is clear that you could not have avoided the collision."
