A PREGNANT woman in labour died almost instantly after crashing her car on New Year's Eve, an inquest was told.

An inquest heard that Jeanette McKenna overtook another car just seconds before her vehicle left the road and crashed into a lamp-post.

And coroner Michael Singleton said it seemed likely that Miss McKenna, 33, had suffered a contraction which prevented her maintaining control of the vehicle as she made her way to hospital.

The inquest heard there had been no emergency braking prior to the collision, which resulted in injuries which killed the young mum within seconds.

Home Office pathologist William Lawler said the cause of death was fluid blocking the lungs due to the crash injuring the uterus during labour.

He said fluid entering the blood stream had caused a very rapid allergic-type reaction.

"She would have died literally within seconds," said Dr Lawler, who also confirmed that the unborn baby girl would have died very shortly afterwards.

Miss McKenna, of The Copse, Accrington, was admitted to Queens Park Hospital two days prior to her death but had discharged herself against medical advice. Had she remained in hospital doctors planned to induce birth within days, the inquest was told.

Billy Loughlin, her partner of seven and a half years and father of her five-year-old son, told how he had visited her in hospital on the day before her death and, along with nursing staff, had persuaded her to stay in hospital.

He said they had argued because she wanted to leave but he left her at the hospital and went home with their son, Joshua.

He said later that evening, Miss McKenna arrived at his home in Hillside Road, Haslingden. She played snowballs with Joshua but only stayed for about five minutes. Later that evening she visited her sister, Marion Broughton, and then her father, William McKenna.

Mr Loughlin said he believed she may have spent the night at the home of a friend, Mark Smale. He said Mark owned a golden retriever dog and her clothes had been covered in long dog hairs.

Mr Smale committed suicide at his home in Accrington in March. "You can't ask Mark any questions because he's dead," said Mr Loughlin.

Mr Singleton said that because of her condition Miss McKenna had not been wearing a seat-belt.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Singleton said it was likely that Miss McKenna had gone in to labour in the early hours of December 31.

He said because of her previous experience she didn't react immediately.

"It would seem, however, that as she was driving to hospital at about 7am things became more urgent," said Mr Singleton.

"It seems she was anxious to get to hospital quickly."