Sons watched mother's beach death

Two young boys have told a court about the "nightmare" of seeing a sand yacht hit their mother fatally injuring her.

Carole Cruz, 38, from Burnley, Lancashire, was on a beach in Lytham St Anne's when she was hit by the three-wheeled craft in August 2002.

On Tuesday the jury at Preston Crown Court watched police interviews with Steffan and Jason, then 12 and 14.

Yacht pilot Adrian Warren, 49, of Cedar Road, Doncaster, denies manslaughter in the trial, which is continuing.

Why did my mum get hit when she was doing nothing wrong? She was a lovely person and I loved her Jason Cruz

The court has already heard the sand yacht hit Mrs Cruz at 45mph, breaking her back and nearly severing her legs.

Steffan said his mother had been holding his hand, looking at him and smiling just moments before she was struck.

"I just froze. It just felt like a nightmare. I felt really light-headed," he said in the police interview.

"You just can't believe seeing your mum like that. A part of me knew she was dying.

"I just tried to make her feel better, just to make her feel that she wasn't alone, I was there with her."

Mr Warren had been taking part in a race organised by the Fylde International Sand Yacht Club at the time of the accident.

Mrs Cruz was pronounced dead in hospital about an hour later.

Preoccupied with race

Jason said: "She was in a really bad state and her ribs were crushed and I saw her legs hanging off by little bits of skin.

"Why did my mum get hit when she was doing nothing wrong? She was a lovely person and I loved her."

Leighton Davies QC, prosecuting, questioned whether the race organisers had put adequate safety measures in place, but added the "ultimate and real responsibility for the death of Carole Cruz lies with the defendant".

"The reality is that [Mr Warren] was so preoccupied with racing and with speed that it just didn't come into his head to give any proper thought to the safety of the members of the public who were on the beach," he said.