A WOMAN died after a crash caused the car she was in to overturn and barrel-roll onto its roof.

A Huddersfield inquest was told the tragic accident came on Woodsome Road, near Farnley Tyas.

It happened when a silver Daihatsu Terios, a small 4x4, collided with a blue Ford Escort estate at 10.30am on Saturday, September 15, last year.

The Daihatsu was turning right on to St Helen’s Gate. The weather was clear and the road was dry.

The force of the crash destroyed both vehicles.

It injured the four people in the Escort and left Sheila and Donald Pilling, of Malvern Rise, Newsome, stranded upside down in their vehicle.

Mrs Pilling, 78, suffered severe internal injuries and a fractured skull.

She died from major organ failure in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary three days later.

Mr Pilling, 79, spent several days in Leeds General Infirmary, but survived.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance paramedic Graham Butcher said Mr Pilling was the more seriously injured, so he released him from his seatbelt to give him medical help.

But a confused Mr Pilling, worried for his wife’s welfare, pressed her seatbelt button, causing her to fall upside down on to the ceiling of the car.

Pathologist Dr A L Thomas Mrs Pilling may have survived the accident if it hadn’t been for her history of kidney and heart disease.

Escort driver Gary Saville, a care home manager from Burhouse Court in Honley, told the inquest that Mr Pilling’s silver car had been behind two other vehicles, including a large horse box, and had suddenly pulled across the road into his path.

He said: “I stamped on the brakes as hard as I could. It’s a road I know well because I drive up and down it every day to get to work.

“Because there was a big vehicle in front the two vehicles behind were obscured.

“My best recollection was that he just pulled out in front of me with no warning.”

The police went to the scene, but no charges were brought against either driver.

Mr Pilling said he saw a car coming towards him taking up a lot of space. It had its lights blazing and was making loud engine noises.

He said the next thing he knew was when he woke up in hospital.

Witness Beverley Kenny, of Longwood, was driving with her four-year-old daughter.

Mrs Kenny, a dry stone waller, said: “We were singing kids songs when I heard skidding and an impact noise.

“ I looked to my right and saw this vehicle somersaulting in the air.

“We thought it was going to hit us, but luckily it didn’t.”

Mrs Kenny and another motorist, Mr Tony Furness from Flockton, ran to help the victims, but could not help as the Daihatsu doors were jammed.

Accident investigator John Green, from West Yorkshire Police, said 15-metre skid marks indicated that Mr Saville had been driving between 42 and 58mph, within the 60mph limit.

He also said there had been no way for Mr Saville to avoid the collision.

Coroner Paul Marks said the collision was unavoidable and recorded a verdict of accidental death.