- An 87-year-old woman, Beryl Barrett, died on Christmas Day last year after fracturing her hip in a fall caused by a road defect in Warsop, Nottinghamshire.
- Mrs Barrett's walking frame became caught in a damaged road surface while she was using a pedestrian crossing, leading to her fall and subsequent death from bronchopneumonia.
- Nottingham Coroner’s Court concluded her death was accidental, but found the fall "more than minimally contributed" to her passing.
- Assistant coroner Nathanael Hartley noted that the specific defect causing the fall was not deemed severe enough for repair by inspectors, despite its role in the incident.
- The coroner will issue a prevention of future deaths report, recommending a system to prioritise urgent road repairs, particularly considering vulnerable pedestrians and the lack of specific guidelines for those using walking aids.
IN FULL
Woman, 87, died after falling over pothole while crossing the road
