A WOMAN was struck and killed by a lorry as she tried to retrieve a mattress which had fallen out of her car, an inquest was told.

Laveen Stanley, 53, died on the London-bound carriageway slip- road of the A13, between the Lakeside turn-off and junction 30 of the M25.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mrs Stanley, of Little Baddow Road, Woodham Walter, near Chelmsford, died from multiple injuries following the accident, involving a yellow Isuzu recovery lorry.

It happened on August 4 last year.

Toxicology tests found she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.

At an inquest in Chelmsford, evidence was given by Mrs Stanley's daughter, Zara, who was with her mother at the time. She said they had been on a shopping trip to Ikea and were on their way home when the mattress "flew out the back" of their convertible Audi.

She said: "She stopped as soon as she realised and put on her hazard lights.

"She waited until it was safe and got out. She walked around the side of the vehicle and walked up the grass verge.

"She picked up the mattress and walked back along the grass to put it in the car from my side.

"The she walked back to the driver's side, around the back of the car. I turned then and the lorry struck. The impact caused the car to move a bit. "

Thomas Mann, 28, of Burnham, has been charged with careless driving in connection with the crash and is currently awaiting trial.

He was at the inquest, represented by Katrina McAteer, but only spoke to confirm minor details about the incident. Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray expressed her sympathy to Mrs Stanley's family.

She ruled that Mrs Stanley died as a result of a road collision.