A 79 year old Stroud man crashed to his death as he drove home from hospital where he had just had a heart monitor fitted because of his 'funny turns,' an inquest heard on Thursday (April 13).

Terence Beard's Vauxhall Corsa car failed to take a bend in Whiteshill and went across the road and into a stone wall on November 22, 2022, the Gloucester inquest was told.

Police who investigated the tragedy believe it probably happened because he had had a blackout at the wheel, the coroner heard.

Mr Beard, of Farmhill Lane, was taken to Southmead Hospital, Bristol, for treatment for injuries including spinal cord injury and multiple rib fractures but his condition deteriorated and he died the following day, November 23, said assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson.

A report to the inquest from PC Kirk Ravenhill said driving conditions and the weather were good at the time of the collision outside a property called The Mount in Whiteshill at 1.48pm on November 22.

Mr Beard was the sole occupant of his red Corsa and was returning from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital to his home after an appointment, stated PC Ravenhill.

"He'd had a heart monitor fitted following a referral from his GP. The appointment time was 11am.

"He was driving home from the direction of Edge towards Whiteshill and was descending into the village.

"He entered a straight part of the road from a right-hand bend and he appears to have crossed over the central markings onto the opposite side of the road. He continued on and left the carriageway on the opposite verge. The car then collided with a stone wall - it hit the end of the wall almost straight on. The airbag was deployed, and the front of the vehicle had extensive damage."

The coroner said a police officer tried to speak to Mr Beard, who was struggling to breathe, but was unable to understand what he was saying.

A witness who lived at the Mount told the police she heard the crash and went out to the vehicle and switched off the engine.

A paramedic who attended could see that Mr Beard was gravely unwell. However, Mr Beard was able to tell the paramedic that he was returning from a hospital appointment and the last thing he could recall of the journey was going round a sharp bend before heading down towards Whiteshill.

"He said he had attended the hospital to have a monitor fitted as he had been having funny turns recently," stated the coroner.

He said that the investigating officer's hypothesis was that as he was driving home he had a medical incident and blacked out.

Recording a conclusion of road traffic collision, the coroner said: "The accident appears to have occurred as a result of him blacking out at the wheel."