A lorry driver wept as he was cleared of causing the death by careless driving of a retired York teacher who was knocked down in the car park of her doctor’s surgery.

Darren Stephen Wilby, 44, of Stone Brig Lane in Rothwell, Leeds, was unanimously found not guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court who took just 34 minutes on Thursday to reach their verdict.

Mrs Ord, 88, was struck as he was reversing his lorry after making a delivery at the Clifton Health Centre in Water Lane, York on July 17 last year.

She suffered a severe leg injury and died in hospital from multi-organ failure weeks later on September 15 in Leeds General Infirmary after developing pneumonia and sepsis.

The six man six woman jury heard the lorry driver had left the heath centre soon after her, but was concentrating on his hand held scanner as he walked to the cab of his lorry and did not see her.

By the time he began to move off she was standing in the “blind spot” behind his vehicle.

He told the court he looked into his mirrors but did not see her and relied on his reversing lights and warning sound to alert people he was reversing. He said there was “no way” he would have moved off if he had known she was close.

His defence argued it was a tragic accident.

York Press: Enid Ord

Mrs Ord, pictured, was well known in York for teaching generations of families including pupils at Heworth Primary School, Burdyke Infant School and Burton Green Primary school before her retirement.

She was also known for her voluntary work helping others.

Her daughter Jane Phythian said: “She was kind, bubbly, fun, thoughtful and spirited – and she was very precious to me.

“She made a big difference to people’s lives and she will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.”

She said even in the last two months of her life spent in hospital she had made a huge impact on the staff.

Son-in-law Mick Phythian said: “The staff were as upset as we were. We had condolences from everyone from the consultant down.”