A CORONER is asking Burnley Council to consider felling four trees after being told they obscured a 'give way' sign at a crossroads where a pensioner was involved in death crash.

Police accident investigation officer described the sign as a 'waste of time' because of the trees.

Local councillor Edward Fisk, who was first at the scene of the crash in May, said the give way sign was obstructed by the trees and that residents had been asking for a stop sign on the road. Road markings had since been repainted but that the give way sign was still obscured by the trees.

East Lancashire Coroner, David Smith, heard that Christabel Mary Jackson, 81, of Fairbairn Avenue, Burnley, died in Burnley General Hospital on May 8, two days after the accident.

He heard she was driving her Austin Metro City when she came straight out into the crossroads and was involved in an accident with a Ford Transit van in Sycamore Avenue.

Recording a verdict of accidental death Mr Smith said: "I shall be getting in touch with Lancashire County Council and asking them to discuss with Burnley Council if it would not be sensible from a road safety point of view to have some of the trees removed." It is thought Mrs Jackson may have been driving home after visiting friends.

Mrs Jackson's husband, Bob, died about 10 years ago and she had lived in Fairbairn Avenue for about 30 years.

After the inquest her daughter, Gillian Pollard, of Gannow Lane, Burnley, said she had no comment to make about the road markings.

Her mother knew the area well and they would never know why she had not stopped or slowed down.