Pensioner died after neighbour reversed over her in accident

Doreen Garriock, 79, of De Cham Road, St Leonards, was found lying on the ground behind Andre Hayler's transit van as he was reversing from his driveway.

An inquest into her death was held on Wednesday.

Dr David Rouse, the pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination, said Mrs Garriock sustained multiple rib fractures following the accident.

Mr Hayler said: "Doreen was a wonderful neighbour and she lived next door to me for close to 22 years.

"She had been very poorly in the last few weeks and I believe she had a hearing problem and was quite deaf.

"On the day in question (March 4) it was so quiet in the street.

"I got in my van and reversed it at walking speed because I was expecting to have to stop. I looked in the left wing mirror to check for oncoming traffic.

"I had only been moving two seconds when I felt what I can only describe as a resistance on the van, stopping it from moving backwards. My first thought was a puncture."

Mr Hayler got out of his van and found Mrs Garriock on the ground. He tried to comfort her and talk to her before paramedics arrived.

Mrs Garriock died later that day at the Conquest Hospital.

The inquest heard that the retired guest house proprietor had heart disease and was prone to fainting.

She also had leukaemia, lost weight over the last five years, suffered from asthma and was prone to getting hot flushes.

PC Michael Scott, senior forensic collision investigator for Sussex Police, said: "There is no physical evidence to show that she (Mrs Garriock) was struck by the van when she was standing up.

"It is my opinion that she was lying on the ground when the vehicle came into contact.

"Either she stumbled and fell or she was taken ill and fell so she would not have been in view of the driver."

Coroner Alan Craze recorded a verdict of death by road traffic accident.

He said: "I am quite satisfied that Mr Hayler did not knock Mrs Garriock over. She was not in his view at the crucial moment when he turned on the engine and started to move his van. This was a pure accident."