A VERDICT of accidental death has been returned at the inquest on mother-of-one Rachel Cheesewright who was killed by a speeding police car.

The jury at Dover Coroner's Court today took just half an hour to reach its unanimous decision.

But Miss Cheesewright's family said later that they still intend to pursue a civil action against Kent Police, claiming negiligence.

Miss Cheesewright, 29, of Kennington, Ashford, was killed by a police Skoda responding to a 999 call as she drove onto the A28 at Bethersden from the Brissenden Green Lane junction on the night of October 22, 2005, after finishing a shift as a barmaid at the Bonny Cravat pub in Woodchurch.

She had a daughter, Charlotte, now 10, and a fiance, Lewis Whitehead.

Family solicitor Sarah Harman, speaking after the verdict, said: "There will be a civil claim on behalf of Rachel's daughter against Kent police for negligence."

She added: "Had the police car been driven at a reasonable speed, the family believes that Rachel would still be alive."

In a statement on behalf of the family Ms Harman said that the investigation had not been truly independent as it had been carried out by Kent Police on one of the force's own drivers.

She also said that the family was committed to campaigning for improved road safety and tighter controls speeding to emergencies.

Police and independent crash investigators had estimated the range of speed of the police car on impact to be between 73 and 86mph. The driver, PC William Purse, had told the four-day inquest he believed his speed to be around 100mph on the straight but he had decelerated at a bend just before the junction.

In a statement following the inquest, Kent Police said: "The thoughts of Kent Police are with the family of Rachel Cheesewright who died in what an inquest jury has determined was a tragic accident.

"We take on board the verdict and await the final considerations of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) that managed the investigation following the collision."

IPCC Commissioner Nicola Williams said after the inquest: "The death of someone so young is always a tragedy. I will now consider whether any police officer should face disciplinary action in relation to the collision."

For full story see next Thursday's Kentish Express.