A MAN has spoken of how he tried to save the life of a 60-year-old woman who died in a car crash last week.

Paul Barry, 38, was driving along the A59 when he saw the accident involving Gilda Dickinson, 60, of Rakehead Lane, Stacksteads.

Paul, a mental health support worker at Calderstones Hospital, Whalley, said he had been travelling behind a dark blue Peugeot heading towards Gisburn when it collided with her Mazda at 8.15pm on August 28.

He said he slammed on the brakes of his Ford Mondeo to avoid a multi-vehicle pile-up .

As soon as he stopped Paul, of Blakeley Crescent, Barnoldswick, rushed from his vehicle to help the four occupants of the Peugeot and to try and resuscitate the 60-year-old until paramedics arrived.

The former soldier in the Scots Guards, said he knew she had died but he still tried to revive her.

The former art teacher was pronounced dead at the scene and an inquest was opened into her death last week.

A post mortem examination confirmed she died of chest injuries suffered in the crash when her car pulled out of Pendle Road on to the A59.

Paul said: "We smashed windows to get people out and pulled a door open.

"Another driver and I tried to revive the woman.

"I was doing the chest compressions but I knew she had died.

"Her lungs had collapsed and the air was going down to her stomach.

"But we had to keep going until the ambulance arrived.

"The scene was horrific. I have tried to block it out but when I got home, I burst into tears.

"Working in the armed force for 16 years never upset me as much as this.

"The following day I laid flowers at the scene."