by Rebecca Hughes

A learner-driver being instructed by her mother to reverse in a car park accidentally ran her over after she had fallen to the floor, an inquest heard.

Teenager Lauren Duke was in a car park in Cuxton with her mum, who was trying to teach her to reverse when the accident happened.

The hearing, held at County Hall in Maidstone, heard evidence from tearful Lauren who gave her account of what happened on the day of the tragedy, earlier this year.

Ms Duke, 41 (pictured below), was standing behind an open door of the Ford Ka giving Lauren her second driving lesson when she was fell to the floor.

Lauren, 17, who was crying uncontrollable as she gave evidence, said: "I had only driven once before with my mum.

"I tried reversing and stalled at first and my mum laughed and told me to drive faster.

"Then I saw my mum fall to the floor and I panicked and the car went back and I don't know what happened."

The accident happened at Cuxton Social Club, where Ms Duke worked as a steward.

Ms Duke, who had lived in Medway all her life, had two other children, Brogan, 21, and Callum, 10, suffered serious head injuries in the collision.

She was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital, but died two days later.

Karen Wyatt, who was there when the accident happened, also gave evidence during the hearing, said: "I saw them talking next to the car and the next thing I heard was a big screech.

"I looked up and saw the car had reversed into a Land Rover and came to a stop.

"After the screech I could hear someone saying "no, no" and we tried to calm the girl down and say it was fine, and the girl got out of the car and said 'no, it's my mum'. As we approached the car we could see her lying there."

Police were called to the club, in Bush Road, at about 11.20am by South East Coast Ambulance Service and Ms Duke was taken to the hospital with severe head injuries and later died from pneumonia.

Coroner Campbell-Tiech recorded a verdict of accidental death and added it wasn't his job to apportion blame.

He said: "This was a terrible, tragic accident. It would be inhumane of me not to say that no one should blame themselves for this."