A WOMAN who was driving a car when it crashed, killing her mother, told an inquest she still could not remember what happened prior to the accident.

Jeanette Truelove, 50, of South Street, Canterbury, died of multiple injuries after the car she was travelling in hit a tree.

Coroner Rachel Redman recorded a verdict of accidental death.

She told daughter Karen Truelove: "I can not imagine how you must feel having lost your mother in these tragic circumstances."

She said Miss Truelove did not have to answer questions which might incriminate her, but said she understood it was unlikely there would be any criminal proceedings.

Miss Truelove said she had little recollection of the accident, which happened on June 23, last year, on the A2070 at Brenzett.

"We were going to the beach at Hastings," she said. "It was my car, and I had passed my driving test on February 1, last year."

Asked about why her car had drifted across the road into the opposite lane, Miss Truelove replied: "I can’t remember it doing that. The only thing I remember is hitting the tree."

James Sprigg, of Lynsted Lane, Sittingbourne, said he had been following Miss Truelove’s car for about 15 minutes from Ashford and they were travelling at about 50 to 60mph.

He said: "The car started drifting into the opposite carriageway. There was a lorry coming the other way. The majority of the car got into the other side of the road and then it just swerved back to avoid the lorry and lost control."

Karina Rudgley, of Lydd Road, Camber, was driving in the opposite direction when she saw the car coming towards her on her side of the road.

"I thought it was going to hit us," she said. "My partner pulled the steering wheel. The other car went off the road, into a field and into the tree. It happened very quickly."

PC Ostler said there was nothing on the road surface which could have contributed to the accident. There were no tyre marks to suggest braking, or scuff marks for a steering manoeuvre, or contributory defects on the vehicle.

The impact with the tree had been "substantial", said PC Ostler, indicating that it was a high-speed crash. He added he did not know whether the driver was distracted, swerved or may have over-corrected.