A PENSIONER who spent a nightmare day driving for hours and getting so lost she missed her sister's funeral, died following a crash on Oxford's A34 on her way home.

Rhea McDermot-Walter's Honda Civic was in collision with a Citroen Berlingo van heading south on the A34 at about 12.20am, an inquest was told on Wednesday.

It appears that Mrs McDermot-Walter, 77, of West Malvern, came up the wrong sliproad at the Milton interchange near Didcot when the accident happened on May 15 last year.

Paul Edwards, the Citroen driver, was travelling at about 70mph when a car suddenly appeared at 90 degrees across his path. He said: "I think I must have braked hard but I don't remember. I did not feel I had any time to react."

Mr Edwards, of Grove Hill, Brighton, was treated for cracked ribs, bruising and shock.

Mrs McDermot-Walter was travelling to her sister Peggy's funeral in Tunbridge Wells on the day of the crash.

Her friend Patricia Chikwe, of Hanley Castle, was a passenger in the car earlier in the day.

She said, Mrs McDermot-Walter got lost repeatedly, drove the wrong way down a one-way street and veered across the road.

They set off on the return journey but Ms Chikwe, fearing for her safety, later urged her friend to stop in Guildford.

She called a taxi to take her home and said: "Rhea had become abusive towards me and would not get out of the car."

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner recorded a verdict of accidental death.