Learner driver mum killed son Liam Turner, 3, in Watton Published duration 15 February 2016

image copyright Turner family picture image caption Liam Turner was playing with his sister when he was struck by the family car

A woman accidentally struck and killed her three-year-old son while being shown how to drive by her husband, an inquest has heard.

Lyndsay Turner was pulling into a parking area near their home in Watton, Norfolk, when she hit her son Liam as he played nearby on 7 June last year.

Liam's father Stephen drove the boy towards hospital before flagging down an ambulance, the court was told.

The coroner concluded it was an accidental death.

'Jolted suddenly'

Norwich Coroner's Court heard Ms Turner had not driven the Citroen C4 hatchback before, did not have a provisional licence and was not insured.

In a statement, she said she had asked her husband to teach her to drive and decided to move the car a short way to its parking space.

"My foot slipped and it jolted suddenly forward," she told police.

Mr Turner had supervised her moving the car from outside the vehicle.

No charges

Neighbour Amy Jones said she saw Mrs Turner pulling into the space in a "stuttering" manner and heard Mr Turner shouting "stop", followed by a loud crunch.

"Liam was bleeding really badly and I told Stephen to put him in the car and take him to hospital," she added.

PC Forbes Scott told the court Mrs Turner was on a public road and should not have been driving but the Crown Prosecution Service had decided it was not in the public interest to bring charges.

He said there were no faults with the car.

The inquest heard Liam was flown to hospital after his father flagged down the ambulance but he had suffered a serious head injury and irreversible brain damage and died in the hospital's accident and emergency department.

'Appalling tragedy'

Deputy Coroner Nicholas Holroyd recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

He told the couple: "This was an appalling tragedy and you both have my profound sympathy for this loss.

"There are very few parents who when looking back haven't said to themselves 'that was a near thing'. Tragically this ended as disastrously as it did."

In a statement issued shortly after their son's death, the Turners said: "We are devastated by the loss of our darling little man.

"Liam was a happy, content little boy who was always smiling and laughing.

"He had a wonderful sense of humour and brought joy to the lives of everyone who knew him. He was deeply loved.

"Life will not be the same without him."