A PENSIONER who died after being hit by a car would have survived if the vehicle had been travelling within the speed limit, an inquest was told yesterday.

The family of Jean Oliver heard how Mark Edward Rogers, the driver of a Rover car, could have avoided the 73-year-old widow if he had been travelling at 30mph.

Mrs Oliver died in Darlington Memorial Hospital the day after the accident in Grange Road, Darlington, last June.

Accident investigator PC Ian Haigh told the Bishop Auckland inquest that the speed limit on Grange Road is 30mph but Mr Rogers was travelling at 41mph before he braked to avoid Mrs Oliver.

He said: "Had the Rover driver been travelling at the legal speed limit and reacted at the same time he actually did, then he would have been able to skid to a stop, therefore avoiding the collision.''

A statement by Mr Rogers' brother, Lee, a passenger in the car, said he had been rolling his brother a cigarette and was handing it to him seconds before spotting Mrs Oliver, who lived at Greencroft Court, Darlington.

South Durham Coroner Colin Penna recorded a verdict of accidental death.

* Mark Rogers appeared before Darlington magistrates in November and admitted careless driving. He was fined £70.