A BUSINESSMAN'S sister-in-law was killed when the car he was driving plunged down a bank and hit a tree.

Eighty-year-old Margaret Sands could have survived the crash but had failed to fasten her seat belt in the back of the Rover Sterling, an inquest in Worcester heard yesterday.

Mrs Sands, known as Peggy, and her husband Ted, of Leicestershire, had been staying with John Holmes-Smith and his wife Cynthia in the days before the accident on Sunday, May 7.

Mr Holmes-Smith was driving the couple from his Hereford home to Alcester, to meet their eldest son when his car hit the kerb near the Red Hart pub in Flyford Flavell, at around 45mph. The speed limit is 30mph.

He tried to pull the car back, but his wheels became caught in the verge and the vehicle careered down the 10ft drop and ploughed into a tree.

Mr Holmes-Smith and his brother-in-law managed to climb out while Mrs Holmes-Smith staggered up the bank with blood running down her face to flag down help.

Her sister - who died the following day in Selly Oak Hospital - was stuck in the car, unconscious and with severe head injuries.

"It was absolutely horrific," Mr Holmes-Smith said, giving evidence.

"It was an immensely awful experience. It was quite a slow impact and the impact with the tree wasn't bad. I couldn't believe she was unconscious."

Assistant deputy Worcestershire coroner Dr Nigel Garbutt said the accident had been caused by a "momentary lapse in concentration".

"John Holmes-Smith found himself in an impossible situation that no one could have been expected to recover from," he said.

"The accident would have been survivable by all had seat belts been worn."