- Neighbours say widow was on her way to putting card through friend’s letterbox
- She was struck by the friend’s husband as he reversed out of his parking space
- Widow rushed to Poole Hospital with serious injuries but was pronounced dead
- A friend suggested she had walked in the road as it’s flatter than the pavement
A widowed pensioner was run over and killed as she delivered a birthday card to the wife of the driver who hit her, friends said today.
They said the 84-year-old was on her way to putting the card through the letterbox when the husband accidentally ran into her as he reversed his car.
She was rushed to Poole Hospital with serious injuries after the accident at 10.20am in West Moors, East Dorset but she was pronounced dead shortly after.
The woman, who has not yet been formally identified, had been increasingly ‘unsteady on her feet’ and used a walker to get around, said neighbours.
The widow was rushed to Poole Hospital with serious injuries after the accident at 10.20am in West Moors, East Dorset but she was pronounced dead shortly after
One of her friends, Mrs Hazel Fry, said: ‘She was actually delivering a card to the wife of the man who hit her – it was her birthday and they were very close friends.
‘She was such a lovely lady; she lost her husband a few years back. We are all very close round here. We all care for one and other and we look for one and other.
‘It was very, very sad. We were all very upset because it is such a close knit community. It was such a shock and a shame.’
Mrs Fry said she thought the lady might have chosen to walk in the road as it is a flatter surface than the pavement.
The traumatised driver of the car was interviewed by police who said ‘an investigation into the circumstances of the collision is under way.’
Sgt Craig Tatton said: ‘This is a fairly quiet residential area and we have made a number of house-to-house enquiries to find out what exactly happened.
‘However, if anyone who has not spoken with officers yet has witnessed the collision, please contact us as soon as possible.’
Contact the force with information on 101 quoting reference 6/127, email scit@dorset.pnn.police.uk or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.