PENSIONER Margaret Francis died after a van backed into her wheelchair knocking her to the ground at Whitehall Garden Centre last October.

Coroner William Bache recorded a verdict of accidental death at an inquest on Thursday last week.

Wheelchair-bound Mrs Francis, 70, from Westrop, who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, died four days after the accident.

Mrs Francis had been at the garden centre in Lacock with her carer Nina Goerzel on the morning of October 4 .

After finishing their shopping Miss Goerzel left Mrs Francis outside the exit and went to load the shopping into the car.

As she sat waiting for her carer Mrs Francis was hit by a reversing Interlink van and her wheelchair toppled over. She fell to the ground, hitting her head.

The van driver stopped and got out of the vehicle to see what she had hit.

Customer Lilian Baker who saw the accident, stopped her car and jumped out to help Mrs Francis.

"I asked her if she was okay and what her name was. She complained of a headache. The driver said 'will she be okay? I am so sorry. I just didn't see her'," said Ms Baker.

Garden centre staff helped Mrs Francis into a sitting position. She said she wanted to get back into her wheelchair and that she was okay, and refused to go to hospital.

Staff brought her a cup of tea and advised her to go to the doctor.

Van driver Sheila Curtis, who had been making a delivery at the centre, was very distressed.

She had returned to her van, smoked a cigarette and made a phone call on her mobile before she started the engine.

In the meantime Mrs Francis had been left behind the van in Mrs Curtis' blind spot.

Mrs Francis told the driver it was not her fault and she was okay. The inquest heard Mrs Curtis resigned from her job the day after the accident.

Miss Goerzel took Mrs Francis to Porch Surgery in Corsham to see her doctor. While waiting to see Doctor McArthur she complained of a splitting headache and her speech became slurred.

She was taken to Bath Royal United Hospital for emergency surgery after it was discovered she was suffering from a brain haemorrhage.

She was later transferred to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol where she died on October 8.

Doctor Tim Moss, consultant neuro- pathologist said her injuries were consistent with a bang on the head.