A pensioner died after "tripping" into the path of a reversing van, an inquest heard.

John Taylor, 76, of Wycliffe Row, Northfleet, was hit by the vehicle in Perry Street, Northfleet, on August 13 last year.

The grandfather crossed the road through a gap between metal railings, outside Lloyds Bank.

He walked behind a Hyundai van driven by plumber and electrician Duncan Turton, who had stopped near the Co-operative convenience store.

Witness Zoe Johnson told the hearing at the Old Town Hall in High Street, Gravesend, it appeared Mr Taylor tripped over his own feet while behind the van and fell to the floor.

"It is clear from the evidence that Mr Turton had no vision of Mr Taylor crossing the road..." - Coroner Roger Hatch

She said she heard someone shouting “woah, woah” and saw an elderly man behind the van.

Mr Turton had begun to reverse his van, without knowing Mr Taylor was there, and hit the pensioner, causing fatal head injuries.

Ms Johnson said the van was not travelling quickly and was near walking pace.

Giving evidence, a distressed Mr Turton said he checked in both mirrors as he reversed but had his windows closed and would not have been able to hear Mr Taylor’s shouts.

There was also a darkened partition behind the seat.

Sergeant Hannah Brown, who investigated the incident, said the only way Mr Turton could have seen Mr Taylor crossing was if he had checked his mirror at an exact second.

However, she did note in her report that when she got into the van and started the engine, the radio was very loud.

North Kent coroner Roger Hatch said: “It is clear from the evidence that Mr Turton had no vision of Mr Taylor crossing the road and that he wouldn’t have been directly visible due to the fact that he would have been behind the van when Mr Turton was in the process of reversing.”

Mr Hatch concluded that the cause of death was “down to a road traffic collision”.