A woman has told an inquest of the final shocking moments before a road crash which claimed her mother's life.

Christine Hill said she braked and tried to avoid an oncoming car but knew "it was going to hit us no matter what I did".

York coroner Donald Coverdale is writing to the Highways Agency about the poor condition of the road near York where the accident happened.

He made his intention clear at the inquest into the death of popular Rufforth resident Nora Hill, aged 59, of Bradley Crescent, who died on the B1224 road of chest and abdominal injuries after the crash on the morning of August 14 last year.

Mrs Hill, a former sugar beet factory worker and a much-loved figure in Rufforth, was a back seat passenger in her daughter Christine's Rover when it was in collision with a blue Jaguar, driven by surgeon David Hopton with his wife, Janet Hopton, a York councillor, as a passenger.

The inquest heard Mr Hopton lost control of the back end of his car on a bend and had not been able to avoid the collision on a road which was wet from earlier rain and patched and rippled from repairs.

Christine Hill, of Bismarck Street, Leeman Road, York, fought back tears as she recalled the events of that morning.

She said: "I had been in York city centre dropping off my fianc at York Station and I went to pick mum and dad up to bring them into York.

"I picked them up and was driving along the B1224 towards York at about 40 to 50mph.

"A large car came round the bend and it was spinning directly into our car.

"I turned my car to avoid it and braked, hoping that we would miss and go into the field, but I knew at that moment it was going to hit us no matter what I did."

The cars collided and the Rover ended up in a ditch while the Jaguar came to rest sideways across the middle of the road.

TC Timothy Alderson said the Jaguar was mechanically sound but the rear tyres were worn below the legal limit.

He said: "Clearly the accident occurred as a result of the Jaguar driver losing control of the vehicle.

"The condition of the road surface, the wet conditions and the badly worn tyres on the rear of the Jaguar may have contributed to the loss of control."

Mr Coverdale recorded a verdict of accidental death, adding: "I think the road surface must be inspected and further consideration given to a more permanent repair job."

Updated: 09:05 Friday, June 01, 2001