Mother dies after learner-driver daughter reverses car into her

A mother who was run over by her learner-driver daughter has lost her fight for life.

Sue Duke, 41, was knocked over and crushed against another car when her daughter Lauren, 17, accidentally reversed over her in a Kent car park on Monday.

She died at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel yesterday after suffering severe head injuries.

It is thought that the mother of three was helping her daughter to reverse park when the accident happened at Cuxton Social Club near Rochester.

Ms Duke's former husband and three children - Lauren, daughter Brogan, 21, and 10-year-old son Callum - had been keeping a bedside vigil.
A witness, who asked not to be named, said: "We were arriving at the social club when it happened. The young girl was in the car reversing and her mum Sue was standing out of the car, directing her into a space.

"Suddenly the car sped into another parked car, crashing into it. At first we didn't realise Sue had been hit, we just saw the damage to the car. But then we saw Sue lying on the ground. She had been hit on the head, there was blood everywhere.

"It was catastrophic. We just tried to help her and comfort her before an ambulance got there.

"The girl was hysterical, she was screaming and crying, it was so awful. We tried to calm her down but she was so upset."

Ms Duke, a barmaid, had lived in Cuxton for most of her life but had recently moved to nearby Strood.

The Serious Collision Investigation Unit is appealing for information. Witnesses can telephone 01622 798538.