‘Conspiracy of events’ led to Mad Friday road death

An inquest in Burnley into the death of Jean Morton, of Halifax Road, heard she died from multiple injuries after she was knocked down by a taxi while crossing Brunshaw Road, Burnley, shortly after finishing work in a post office on “Mad Friday”, December 19th.

The driver of the taxi, Alan Jacques, said he had dropped off a fare in Worsthorne and was heading back to Blackburn.

He had turned into Brunshaw Road and was travelling at about 25mph when he saw a figure in front of him.

“I reacted as quick as I could and heard a bang. I went to see how she was and called for help,” said Mr Jacques.

Investigating officer PC Philip Walker said it was raining at the time of the accident and Mrs Morton was trying to cross Brunshaw Road to a bus stop.

She was wearing a pastel-coloured coat and dark trousers, and a street light near to where she was crossing was not working. These factors, and the lights of oncoming traffic, would have made it difficult for Mrs Morton to have been seen in the middle of the road.

In reaching his conclusion that Mrs Morton died as a result of a road traffic collision, East Lancashire Coroner Mr Richard Taylor said: “She was making a journey she did regularly on a road she knew well. This was a conspiracy of events which came together at the same time resulting in her death.”