Deaths in 999 crash 'accidental'

Mary Price and Dorothy Sandwell had 12 grandchildren between them

The death of two sisters who died when their car collided with an ambulance on a 999 call was accidental, an inquest has ruled.

Grandmothers Mary Price and Dorothy Sandwell died after the collision on the A25 in Kent last June.

But relatives of the two women said they were angry and upset that they may never know what caused the crash.

Mrs Price, 71, from Sundridge, and Mrs Sandwell, 67, from Sevenoaks, were killed in June last year.

Third sister survived

Their other sister, 59-year-old Sheila Khan, was a back seat passenger in the car and survived but was unconscious for two weeks.

The inquest in Tunbridge Wells heard the ambulance was heading down the A25 in Westerham, near Sevenoaks, at about 50mph with its blue lights flashing.

As it reached the entrance to Westerham Golf Club the crew noticed a car turning out of a filter lane.

The driver, thinking the distance between the ambulance and the car was too small, tried to take evasive action, the inquest heard.

'Deeply distressed'

The coroner was told that move meant the ambulance clipped a kerb and turned 90 degrees across the road into the path of the Nissan.

The Kent Ambulance NHS Trust issued a statement which said: "The ambulance crew involved in this incident have been deeply distressed and saddened.

"As a result of this they have received a good deal of support from the trust.

"The trust welcomes the verdict of accidental death and acknowledges that no blame has been apportioned as a result of this regrettable and tragic incident."