A MOTORIST told an inquest he had no recollection of the road accident in which his wife was killed during a holiday in France.

Ruth Money, 58, of Pity Me, near Durham, was a passenger in a people carrier driven by her husband, Derrick, on an autoroute near the western town of Niort, on September 1.

The inquest, in Durham, heard that a lorry driver, Remi LeCorre, told French investigators that he noticed the Moneys' vehicle travelling quite slowly in the central lane ahead of him.

In a statement read to the hearing by North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle, Mr LeCorre said he believed the driver of the people carrier was looking for a turn off or a hotel, as he seemed to hesitate in the central lane.

"Out of the blue it unexpectedly cut across my lane and I braked as hard as I could."

But Mr LeCorre said the vehicle ahead appeared to make no attempt to brake and he had no chance to use his horn or warning lights before an extremely violent collision took place.

The people carrier came to a standstill sideways on and Mrs Money was certified dead at the scene.

Pathologist Dr John Zuk said death was due to multiple injuries and haemorrhage as a result of trauma consistent with a road accident.

Mr Money, of Finchale View, Pity Me, who was also injured in the accident, told the hearing that he has no recollection of the crash.

"I can only remember up to the previous day and I don't remember that day at all," he said.

Mr Tweddle said after reading the report by the French authorities that the only verdict he could record was one of accidental death