An ambulance involved in a fatal crash on the A21 was responding to an emergency at the time, an inquest has heard.

The vehicle crashed into the back of a cement mixer on January 5 at 8.16pm near Tonbridge.

Paramedic Alice Clark 21, of Newington, Sittingbourne, died in the collision and her inquest was opened and adjourned at County Hall, Maidstone, today.

The crash was in a lay-by off the coastbound carriageway and the court heard Edward Riding was driving the ambulance to an emergency on blue lights.

Coroner’s clerk Richard Smith said: “For reasons unknown the vehicle took the slip road to the lay-by instead of the next exit towards the Morley Road roundabout.”

The ambulance hit the kerb then the back of a parked Scania lorry before bouncing off and embedding itself in the back of a parked and attended Volvo tanker.

Mr Smith said: “The impact caused the ambulance to become embedded into the rear of the tanker trapping both the driver and front seat passenger who was Miss Clark.”

A third occupant, Megan Kuhn, was in the back of the ambulance and managed to get out of with help. She suffered severe concussion.

Miss Clark had to be cut free by Kent Fire and Rescue. Dr Richard McQuillan of HEMS declared Miss Clark dead at 9.42pm.

The ambulance driver was flown by air ambulance to King’s College Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The cause of death was given as lower limb and pelvic fractures with retroperitoneal haemorrhage from a vehicular crash.

Alice, had only joined South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) in November.

Her devastated parents paid tribute to their “beautiful, kind” daughter, the next day on Thursday, January 6.

Last week, a service was held to remember Alice from Newington, near Sittingbourne, where flowers were laid.

On social media, a post from Secamb said: “Yesterday #SECAmb crews from Paddock Wood and Critical Care paramedics joined with her family and colleagues from Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex in a small service to remember Alice and lay flowers at the scene.”

Those at the service included Secamb staff who had attended the crash.

Yasmin Bekir, a friend of the former pupil of Medway-based Rainham Mark Grammar School, has set up a Gofundme page to raise money to help Alice's family. Yasmin and Alice had studied at the University of Greenwich together.

Other friends and colleagues and the Health Secretary have also paid tribute to Alice.

To contribute towards the fundraiser, click here.