Mountain Ash woman died in South African holiday crash

Mother-of-two Sharon Davies had been looking forward to the trip

A woman died after taking sunrise photographs during a "trip of a lifetime" to South Africa, an inquest has heard.

Sharon Davies was a passenger in a car with her partner and his two children when a burst tyre caused it to crash and roll into a ditch last July.

The 45-year-old shop worker from Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taff, had only been in the country for a day.

A conclusion of accidental death was recorded at the hearing in Aberdare.

Giving evidence, Ms Davies' partner, Lee Chantrell said she was taking photos on her phone while he was driving in the North West Province between Derby and Rustenburg.

They had been on their way to Botswana to visit his mother.

"She was so excited - it was her first African sunrise," he said.

"All of a sudden there was a noise that sounded like grinding metal."

The inquest heard the car had been travelling at about 70mph, which was below the local speed limit, when the tyre burst.

"Sharon was trapped and not moving," said Mr Chantrell, who suffered broken ribs in the crash.

His son broke his pelvis after being thrown from the car while his daughter broke her thumb.