The family of a Challock grandmother had to make the agonising decision to turn off her life support machine after she suffered brain damage in a car crash.

Chris Hickmott, 68, died almost three weeks after her yellow Fiat Panda hit a tree on the A252 at Chilham.

Her only daughter Hettie Walton, from Ashford, has spoken about the difficult choice she had to make and said she will forever remember her mum as multi-talented and caring.

The 46-year-old cleaner, of Park Place, said: "We had hoped she might pull through, but a CT scan revealed the damage to her brain was so serious that she was completely paralysed and would not have been able to speak. She would not have wanted that.

"Mum was a multi-talented, kind and caring woman who would do anything for anyone. She was brilliant at maths but also very artistic with a real quirky sense of humour. She doted on her two grandchildren and they are both very upset."

Mrs Hickmott used to work at the tax office in Canterbury - but moved to Canterbury Road, Challock, about 20 years ago where she lived with her husband Robin and had been working as a carer.

She suffered multiple serious injuries, including a broken neck, back, leg and wrist. She had to be cut free from her car by firefighters following the crash on Thursday, May 8.

She was flown to King's College Hospital in London where she remained in an induced coma. She died on Bank Holiday Monday May 26.

Speaking just after the accident, her daughter said: "We just don't know what's going to happen, but the doctors have said she'll probably be in hospital for eight months."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the single-car collision, which happened near the junction with Dane Street at about 3.45pm.

DS Scott Lynch said: "I am appealing for any witnesses who saw the Fiat Panda being driven from the Canterbury area towards Challock or witnessed the collision itself."

Anyone who can help is asked to phone DS Lynch or PC Mark Wooding on 01622 798538.

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