Shaniqua Loftman-Smith: Girl may not have seen ambulance, inquest told

Shaniqua Loftman-Smith was hit by an ambulance on a 999 call on 22 December

A 10-year-old girl was hit by an ambulance on a 999 call as she went out to get treats for a film night, an inquest has heard.

Shaniqua Loftman-Smith was taken to hospital after the crash on Low Wood Road, Bulwell, Nottingham at about 18:30 GMT on 22 December.

She died eight days later.

Nottingham Coroner's Court heard the ambulance had its blue lights flashing but did not have its sirens on at the time.

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The inquest heard Shaniqua and a relative - referred to as Child A - had gone out to get popcorn and sweets from a nearby supermarket.

Child A told police the pair had just emerged from an alleyway and she was waiting to cross the road at the time of the crash.

"All I can remember is just standing there, and I saw her back [in front of me], and then bang," she said.

"It felt so quick."

Child A then ran to a relative's to get help, while other motorists stopped and tried to assist the ambulance crew or called 999.

'Split-second'

The ambulance was driving at a speed of 52mph at the time of the crash, the inquest was told.

Driver Paul Adcock, a qualified ambulance technician with 15 years' experience, said he only saw someone appear in front of him "a split second" before the crash, leaving him no time to avoid a collision.

He said he was responding to a potentially life-threatening call and said his speed on the 30mph road was not unsafe, even though it exceeded an "advisory" limit followed by East Midlands Ambulance Service.

"I felt that was the appropriate speed in approaching that particular job that we were going on," he said.

"I felt comfortable travelling at that speed and felt safe to do so."

Mr Adcock also said he had "intermittently" used his siren when overtaking cars and if he saw pedestrians were present, but they were not in use at the time of the crash as "there was no sign of anybody".

PC Andy Bell, a collision investigator for Nottinghamshire Police, said the damage profile to the vehicle suggested Shaniqua may have been running across the road when she was hit.

He said she may have been unaware of the vehicle, and had the sirens been on it may have alerted her to its presence.

The inquest continues.