Beryl JefferiesGAZETTE & HERALD: The driver of the car that struck and killed great-grandmother Beryl Jefferies as she walked across a zebra crossing in Chippenham has offered his sincere apologies to the family.

Colin Brown, of Marshfield Road, Chippenham, spoke only to confirm his name and address and to offer his "sincere apologies to the family of the deceased" at an inquest held at Devizes on Friday.

Mrs Jefferies, 76, of Cedar Grove, was out for her daily walk when she was hit by Mr Brown's Audi A3 on the pedestrian crossing on Langley Road on November 19. She was rushed to hospital but died from her injuries a few hours later.

Wiltshire coroner David Masters, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, read out a statement from Mr Brown. In it Mr Brown explained how he was driving to the Olympiad Centre to play squash at the time of the accident.

He said: "I was running late, in that, I mean my mind was on the destination. I didn't see the old lady.

"I saw her at the last moment. My foot reached the brake at the same time that I hit her."

Mr Brown, who faces prosecution, was wearing a dark suit, red tie and glasses and was accompanied by his solicitor. Also attending the inquest was Mrs Jefferies's brother Roger England and sister Glenys Moore.

Other statements were read out from witnesses of the accident.

David Crowther, of Langley Road, described how he saw Mr Brown's car approaching the pedestrian crossing but did not seem to slow down, despite the presence of Mrs Jefferies.

He said: "I remember thinking oh no. There was nothing I could do to stop what was happening.

"I think at the time the lady may have stopped or may even have been facing the car."

The inquest heard evidence from the police that the road surface was wet but that the street lighting was good. Accident investigators calculated Mr Brown's car to be travelling at about 26mph at the point of impact.

In his summary Mr Masters said: "Admittedly Mrs Jefferies was wearing dark clothing but another vehicle had stopped allowing her to cross.

"It was when she had crossed in front of that car and was in effect on the second part of her crossing that to everybody's horror Mr Brown's car was seen approaching not at a fast speed and well under the speed limit," said Mr Masters.

"It is evident that Mr Brown should have seen her, had time to react as a result, but did not do so. He very fairly confirmed just that in his first interview with the police and told everyone there on the site that he had just not seen her."

Mrs Jefferies had spent most of her life in the town, and had lived alone since her husband Eric died five years ago.

She was well-known in the town as a keen target shooter at the Bridge Centre. She leaves six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.