Abergele: Woman died trying to stop rolling car - inquest

Mary Williams was out delivering Christmas presents when the accident happened

A woman who died while delivering Christmas presents appears to have been crushed while trying to stop her car from rolling, an inquest heard.

Mary Williams, 71, from Betws y Coed, in Conwy, died on a country road in Abergele on 23 December, 2022.

The inquest in Ruthin heard she seems to have exited the car without applying the brake, and reached through the driver's side door to stop it rolling.

The car eventually rolled about 98ft (30m) down a slope, the inquest heard.

Witnesses said they came across Ms Williams' Seat Leon on the grass verge, wedged against the hedge.

When they got out of the car, they discovered Ms Williams lying half in and half out of the driver's door.

Emergency services were called, but Mrs Williams was declared dead at the scene.

Pathologist Dr Mohammed Aslam gave the cause of death as "postural asphyxia", the result of her being unable to breathe because of the way in which she was trapped.

The coroner recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

Forensic collision investigator Brian Grocott said road conditions at the time were good and no mechanical defects were found on the car.

Both the parking brake and auto-hold were in working order, but had not been applied, he added.

Mrs Williams, a former NHS physiotherapist, helped run the family farm as well as keeping holiday cottages.

She was described by her family as "an incredibly fun, caring and energetic person".

Her daughter told police that on the day of her death, they had been together cleaning one of the holiday cottages they owned before having a coffee in McDonalds in Abergele.

"She was her normal chatty, happy self," she said. "She was tired but there was nothing to cause concern."

Kate Robertson, assistant coroner for north Wales east and central, told members of Ms Williams' family: "There are many unanswered questions, the most perplexing being why she left the vehicle."