A devastated husband has paid tribute to his popular wife and former primary school teacher who was apparently crushed between two horses.

Rosemary Turnbull, from Marden, was killed in November while moving her two horses between fields.

An inquest heard how the former Boughton Monchelsea and East Farleigh primary school teacher suffered multiple injuries to her chest and heart which were consistent with being crushed between the animals.

Her friend of 20 years, Jane Tipples, spoke of how she was helping move the horses ahead of a locally organised hunt, which often spooked them, when she heard a squeal.

She turned to see the 62-year-old clutching her stomach before collapsing.

Police and paramedics joined a road crew from the air ambulance who were first on the scene at a Chainhurst farm.

They spent 40 minutes trying to revive the mother-of-two but she died at the scene.

Her husband John, also 62, said: “It has been extremely difficult to come to terms with such a sudden loss of someone I have spent 36 years with.

“Rosemary was exceptionally loved by myself and our children Oliver and Joanna.

“She was hugely popular and more than 200 people attended her funeral.”

Mrs Turnbull retired from teaching in 2013, and Mr Turnbull said she was much-loved by her pupils and their parents.

Pathologist Dr David Rouse told the inquest how the nature of Mrs Turnbull’s injuries ruled out the possibility of a naturally occurring death and said they were consistent with being crushed.

Mr Turnbull attended the Archbishop’s Palace hearing on Monday alongside family friends, doctors Peter and Sue Jones, who asked whether the use of a piece of equipment, known as the ACD, could have inflicted the injuries.

Dr Rouse said having spoken to paramedics he was satisfied the device could not have caused Mrs Turnbull’s death.

Coroner Patricia Harding adjourned the inquest in order to speak with emergency services about the device used in the resuscitation effort.

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