AN ELDERLY woman, involved in a four-vehicle crash, died as a result of the accident, an inquest concluded.A documentary inquest into the death of Gwendoline Spink, of Duke Street, Hintlesham, held at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court, heard how she was a passenger in a Citroen Xantia car, driven by her 72-year-old husband, Ken.

AN ELDERLY woman, involved in a four-vehicle crash, died as a result of the accident, an inquest concluded.

A documentary inquest into the death of Gwendoline Spink, of Duke Street, Hintlesham, held at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court, heard how she was a passenger in a Citroen Xantia car, driven by her 72-year-old husband, Ken.

The accident, which involved three cars and a lorry in Silver Hill, Hintlesham, on May 24 this year, also left Mr Spink with serious injuries.

Four ambulances and an air ambulance attended the horrific crash, which happened close to the Hillside Nurseries on the A1071, and the road was closed for five hours while the scene was cleared.

Villagers said Mr and Mrs Spink, 81, had lived in the same village for around 40 years.

Coroner Dr Peter Dean read out statements from witnesses, in which it was heard that the Citroen, travelling towards Hintlesham, hit the back of a Mondeo car, causing the Citroen to veer across to the other side of the road and collide with the lorry.

A BMW was also involved in the accident as it was about to enter a driveway.

Pc Kevin Spark said in a statement that the Citroen was not travelling more than 40mph when it crashed into the front of the lorry.

Dr Dean said: “The incident that took place was clearly a very tragic accident leading to death. Our thoughts are with the family.”

The couple's two children are now grown up and married and both live in Canada. Mr and Mrs Spink had apparently spoken several times about moving to Canada to be with them but never done so.

The driver of the lorry and a woman from one of the other cars involved in the accident-a BMW estate and a Ford Mondeo-were also taken to hospital with injuries.

The verdict recorded was accidental death.

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