Woman died four weeks after crash

Husband lost control of car on Cyprus road, inquest hears

TRAGEDY befell a globe-trotting couple from Thatcham when their car careered off the road in Cyprus.

Patrick Tarrant was at the wheel when he lost control, leading to a fatal crash.

His wife Jayne died four weeks later in hospital, an inquest at Reading Town Hall heard last Wednesday.

During the hearing, which was not attended by any family or friends, Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford expressed his frustration at the lack of co-operation he had received from the Cypriot authorites.

However, he said he was able to conclude the inquest with the help of a statement from Mr Tarrant, of Hartley Way, Thatcham.

Mr Tarrant said he had been driving, with his wife as passenger, on June 2 last year and the vehicle was quite heavily loaded at the time.

Mr Bedford said: “Around 2pm, in the course of driving, he overtook a lorry on the dual carriageway.

“Due to poor road conditions and the fact the car was heavily loaded, stability was lost; he lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road.

“He has no recollection from that point on.

“However, he was informed that, having left the road, the vehicle struck a telegraph pole, then a tree and, finally, a wall.”

Mr Tarrant, who awoke in hospital, sustained serious injuries and stayed there for six weeks, the inquest heard.

Mr Bedford said: “But tragically, his wife lost her life.

“She died on June 30 – I’m assuming that, in the intervening four weeks, she received ongoing care and tragically couldn’t be saved.

“I’ve received no report from the Cyprus coroner; none from the Cyprus police and no medical evidence in the form of a post mortem.”

The only piece of evidence submitted to the coroner was a medical certificate, stating Mrs Tarrant had died from multiple injuries.

Mr Bedford said that, despite the lack of co-operation from the Cypriot authorities, he was able to conclude the inquest and ruled that Mrs Tarrant died in Nicosia General Hospital, Cyprus, from multiple injuries sustained in a road traffic collision.

The online edition of the Cyprus Today newspaper reported that the Tarrants, who had an apartment in the Upper Girne region of Cyprus, were also regular visitors to Thailand.

They sold dresses and jewellery that they picked up on their travels at the Saturday Lambousa Market in Cyprus.

A fellow ex-pat, Col Coleman, was quoted as saying: “She was a wonderful and beautiful lady with a heart of gold.

“They are a diamond couple... it’s a great loss. She was well-loved.”

Friends from Thailand and the UK posted condolences on social media, paying tribute to Mrs Tarrant’s cheerful nature, sense of humour and care for others.