A 73-year-old man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of Devizes resident Brenda Hookings in a car crash in Seend.

Michael Cleveland, of Wessex Close, Semington, had been driving from Seend when the crash occurred.

At Salisbury Crown Court on Tuesday he admitted causing death by careless driving.

He will be sentenced on September 3 after pre-sentencing reports have been prepared.

Judge Douglas Field disqualified Cleveland from driving until then, which will include a minimum of a one-year ban.

Mrs Hookings and her husband Bob were driving on the A365 from Melksham to Devizes on the evening of January 3, 2009 when they were involved in a collision with a silver Audi driven by Cleveland at the Seend fork junction with the A361.

Mrs Hookings was airlifted to the Great Western Hospital Swindon, but died of her injuries. Her husband suffered severe cuts and bruises, and Mr Cleveland sustained back injuries and a broken shoulder.

Mr and Mrs Hookings had been travelling home to Devizes after spending the day with their son Glynn and his children in Bowerhill, Melksham.

The couple had two children and three grandchildren and had celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2008. They had lived in Devizes for 14 years.

They were volunteers at the Crown Centre in Devizes and were members of the Kennet Friendship Circle. Mrs Hookings was also a member of Devizes Townswomen’s Guild.

* Three people were taken to hospital after a three-vehicle crash near Seend on Monday morning.

Police closed Bollands Hill, which connects the village with the A365, after a Volkswagen van, travelling towards the A365, collided at a humpback bridge with a Renault Megane and a Citroen van coming in the other direction.

The drivers were taken to hospital with suspected neck injuries.

The silver Renault ended up in a ditch and the Volkswagen came to rest in the hedgerow on the far side of the road.