A 60-year-old woman died instantly after pulling out at a notorious junction on the A59 Clitheroe by-pass.

But an inquest heard the tragic accident which killed retired art teacher Gilda Dickinson was entirely down to driver error.

Miss Dickinson, of Rake Head Lane, Stacksteads, pulled out of Pendle Road directly in front of a car being driven by Kelly Lawson who was heading towards Gisburn on August 28.

Miss Lawson was in tears as she told how she had seen the blue car driven by Miss Dickinson at the junction.

She had not expected it to pull out because there was no reason why the driver would not have seen her car approaching.

"Next thing it was just in front of me," said Miss Lawson.

"I slammed on but I was too close, there wasn't enough time."

The inquest heard from two off duty police officers who witnessed the incident and administered CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Miss Dickinson within seconds of the accident taking place.

Inspector Frank Walmsley was driving behind Miss Dickinson up Pendle Road towards the A59.

He said she definitely stopped at the junction but only for seconds and in his opinion there was no way Miss Lawson could have avoided the collision.

Inspector Walmsley opened the door of Miss Lawson's car and noted that all the occupants were screaming and crying.

He then ran to Miss Dickinson's car where he was joined by PC Dean Hodgson who had been driving on the A 59 towards Blackburn.

The two off-duty officers got her out of her car through the passenger door and put her on the grass verge where they applied emergency first-aid.

Both officers told Miss Dickinson's daughter, Michelle, that her mother had not been conscious when they got to her.

There have been two other fatalities at the same junction in the last two years but accident investigator PC Adrian Harrison said on this occasion the accident was entirely due to driver error.

He said Miss Dickinson appeared to have been turning right and had an uninterrupted, 500m view to her right before she pulled out.

Recording a verdict of accidental death coroner Michael Singleton told Michelle her mother would not have been aware of what happened or had the opportunity of feeling any pain.

"I also recognise there is more than one victim here," said Mr Singleton.

"Those involved in the collision and those who came across the aftermath."

Mr Singleton said it was remarkable that two off-duty police officers were present at the scene and immediately went to Miss Dickinson's aid.

"Despite their efforts there was nothing that could be done," said Mr Singleton.

The medical cause of death was given as chest injuries.