A 64-year-old taxi passenger was killed instantly when she was hurled into the boot of a car following a road crash, an inquest heard.

Eileen Kavanagh was thrown over a seat before falling through a shelf in the back of a hatchback Toyota. Her body was found after the boot was opened.

A post mortem examination showed that Mrs Kavanagh, of Thornton Road, Bradford, died from a fractured spine.

Bradford Coroners Court heard how the red Toyota was pulling out from a taxi rank when it was involved in a collision with a Range Rover in Thornton Road, last September. After the impact, the Toyota spun across the road and hit a tree.

Motorist Susan Patterson told the hearing she saw the taxi set off very, very rapidly.

She said: I thought this was an accident that was about to happen, adding the taxi driver decided to chance it as the Range Rover came up the road. After the crash, she went to the taxi and found the driver Nazam Azam was conscious.

Mr Azam told police he swa the road was clear and pulled out. But as he did, he said he saw a 4x4 vehicle coming towards him very fast before the two vehicles collided.

John Hutchinson, the Range Rover driver, was found to be one milligram over the drink-drive limit at the time of the incident.

He told the police he had been travelling at about 30-35mph when he saw a red flash.

Recording an accident verdict, Coroner Roger Whittaker said Mr Hutchinson had no opportunity to take any evasive action and he exonerated him from any blame.