A DISABLED woman’s 55th birthday celebrations ended in tragedy when her electric wheelchair collided with a car as she drove home along an unlit road.

Pamela Shields, of Park House Gardens, Sherburn Village, County Durham, had twice the legal limit of alcohol in her system after drinking in Durham City, an inquest was told yesterday.

She and her fiance and carer, David Mollon, had missed the last bus and decided to walk home.

Miss Shields’ unlit wheelchair was struck on the B1283 by Christopher Barfe’s Fiat Bravo. She died of multiple injuries.

The inquest heard that Miss Shields, who suffered a stroke in her 20s that left her paralysed, deaf and blind on her left side, often made the journey, despite people expressing concern about the danger. Sometimes she got a police escort.

PC Michael Bell, of Durham police’s collision investigation unit, said her wheelchair was meant for pavements and had only reflective strips to warn road users.

On Saturday, February 20, Miss Shields and Mr Mollon caught the bus to the Last Orders, Gilesgate, and, after several pints of lager, left at 10.30pm to catch the last bus home, but it had gone.

PC Bell said: “David Mollon told me he was walking on the footpath to Sherburn Village.

“He was quite concerned about Pamela being in the road, to a point where he told her to get off the road because ‘something will happen – you will get killed’.

“Hardly had that happened when the collision took place between the vehicle and Miss Shields.’’ Mr Barfe, who declined to give evidence about the accident, though police are taking no action, was driving on dipped headlights and would have had no time to react when he saw the wheelchair, the officer said.

In a statement to police, Mr Barfe said he was doing 55mph in the 60mph zone.

Deputy County Durham Coroner, Brenda Davidson, recorded a verdict of accidental death, saying that “it may well be that the regular use of this route has lulled her into a false sense of security.

“As we have heard from PC Bell she has put herself in a very dangerous position.”