A CORONER yesterday criticised Spanish authorities for their lack of co-operation with an inquest into a North-East holidaymaker's death.

Albert Sheldon died in March 2000, aged 73, when he was crushed by a car that mounted the pavement in the Costa del Sol resort of Fuengirola. He was out shopping with his wife, Jean, at the time.

The car was believed to have been driven by an unaccompanied learner driver, and struck five parked cars before hitting Mr Sheldon, from Spennymoor, County Durham. It narrowly missed his wife.

Mr Sheldon, a newsagent, died from his injuries in hospital nine days later, with members of his family at his bedside.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded at the Darlington inquest yesterday. However, North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle said his work had been hampered by the lack of information supplied to him by Spanish investigating authorities.

"Despite huge efforts from my predecessor and from myself, who have been contacting authorities since 2000, we have received partial and little information from authorities in Spain," he said.

"We have had a letter from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, dated June 20, which tells me it is unlikely we will be able to obtain any more information. We have not been able to get anything."

Mr Sheldon, who had shops in Willington and Cockton Hill, Bishop Auckland, spent his working life in the newspaper business.

He started in the sales department of The Northern Echo and the Durham Advertiser series in 1949, working in Bishop Auckland and as sales manager in Darlington, before leaving in 1980 to concentrate on his business interests.

A prominent freemason for 36 years, he was immediate past master of the Walton Lodge, in Crook, past master of the Doric Lodge and a past principal at the Royal Arch, both in Spennymoor.

He left wife Jean, children Lynette, Barbara, Geoff and Graham, and five granddaughters.