A hairdresser was talking on her mobile phone to her friend about her new job when she was hit and killed by a car, an inquest heard.

Stela-Maria Hurmuzache-Anpohe, 34, was chatting to Ana Fuscal when she stepped out in Milton Road, Gravesend, and was hit by a silver Mercedes driven by Santuk Singh.

The Romanian national, who lived in Gravesend, was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem ruled she died from a severe head injury.

In a statement read out at the inquest Ms Fuscal said: “I had rung my friend Maria who had started a new job that week; I wanted to know how she was doing.

“We spoke for a short time and she said she had a massive headache because she had spoken in English all day. I have known her all my life.

"She told me to hang on a minute. It was then I heard a scream..." - Ana Fuscal

“We were just chatting about different things and she told me to hang on a minute.

“It was then I heard a scream. I tried ringing her back a few times but the phone was off.

At the hearing at Gravesend Old Town Hall last week the driver, Mr Singh, said: “It just happened so quickly there was nothing I could do

"I’m very sorry about what happened.

“I haven’t been able to go back to work, this will be on my mind for the rest of my life.”

One witness claimed Mr Singh had been driving faster than the 30mph speed limit but investigating officer PC Andrew Sutherland said there was no evidence to support that.

He also added that while it was likely Mrs Hurmuzache-Anpohe was distracted by her mobile, Mr Singh was “completely oblivious” to her presence.

Coroner Alan Blunsdon described the incident as a “difficult situation” where both the driver and pedestrian were unaware of each other.

He ruled the verdict as death by road traffic collision.