Mother hit by Norfolk Police van looking for her

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Scene of accident where woman was struck by a police vanImage source, Joe Giddens/PA
Image caption,

Helen Loveday was struck by the police van while walking along Wymondham Road in Hethel

A mother-of-three died after she was hit by a police van whose driver was searching for her, an inquest heard.

Helen Loveday, 52, suffered a traumatic brain injury when struck while walking along Wymondham Road in Hethel, Norfolk, at about 22:20 BST on 27 July last year.

Ms Loveday was flown to hospital by the Duke of Cambridge on his final shift as an air ambulance pilot.

She died two days later at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Her sister Rachel Hurn said in a statement that Ms Loveday had come to stay with her in Wreningham, Norfolk, on 24 July.

On the evening of 27 July they had shared "about a bottle and a quarter of rose wine," after which Ms Loveday said "something about killing herself" and left the house. Ms Hurn then called 999.

Ms Loveday, of Market Harborough in Leicestershire, had health problems affecting her mobility, suffered anxiety and said she had a "split personality disorder", Ms Hurn said.

Image source, PA
Image caption,

The Duke of Cambridge's air ambulance crew took Ms Loveday to hospital

Several motorists described seeing a person walking on the unlit road.

Driver Michael Broad said he saw a police van ahead of him come "shuddering to a halt" before the driver got out and put both hands to his head.

Mr Broad said he estimated the van was driving at 55mph (88.5km/h) shortly before and was "obviously hurrying somewhere but I didn't consider the driving inappropriate".

In a statement read by the coroner's officer, Mrs Loveday's boyfriend Glen Galway said: "I think it was the alcohol that led... to her being killed."

The inquest, listed for five days, continues.

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