An 87-year-old woman crashed into a fire station, after a blood clot in her lung caused her severe and sudden chest pains, an inquest has heard.
Retired civil servant Sheila Hart was driving along Chorley New Road, away from Horwich town centre at around 2pm on Friday September 13, 2019.
Her black Hyundai i10 then veered into the wrong side of the road, clipping the central reservation, before crashing into a metal bollard and then Horwich Community Fire Station.
Catherine Haslam, a qualified nurse, was walking her dog along Chorley New Road when the crash happened.
She rushed to Miss Hart's aid and held her hand while staff at the fire station took her inside and tended to her, while they waited for an ambulance.
Another witness, local business owner John Moores comforted Miss Hart before Ms Haslam took over.
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Miss Hart was taken to Salford Royal Hospital but the decision to turn off her life support machine was made on Monday September 16.
At Bolton Coroners' Court, Miss Hart's brother-in-law Joseph Staton and her niece Carol Cole were in attendance and heard from the pathology report, that revealed Miss Hart suffered severe blunt force trauma injuries to her head and chest. She also had further injuries to her brain, ribs, arms, spinal column and lungs.
Pathologist Dr Papworth explained that Miss Hart also had a pulmonary embolism - when a blood clot from your leg suddenly 'embolises' and travels along the circulation, lodging itself in the lungs or heart.
When this occurs, it can lead to severe chest pains, breathlessness or even black outs.
Dr Papworth said: "On the balance of probabilities, I think that this incident (the crash) was directly caused by this blood clot travelling from her leg and lodging in her right lung.
"On the balance of probabilities, I do not think that Miss Hart would have survived the pulmonary embolism, even without the car crash.
"I think it would have been so sudden and she may have even been unconscious when the car made its impact."
Assistant Coroner for Greater Manchester West, Simon Nelson reached a narrative conclusion of "traumatic and unsurvivable injuries, precipitated by an unsurvivable natural event which resulted in the vehicle taking the course it did.
He recorded a joint cause of death of blunt force head and chest trauma, coupled with a right lower lobe pulmonary embolism.
Addressing Miss Hart's family, Mr Nelson said: "My deepest sympathies. She was a fiercely independent and stoic lady."
Paying tribute to her aunty, Ms Cole said: "In some way you feel sad that she couldn't share her ailments with us but she led a very independent life. She travelled and she had an exciting life. She was quite a character.
"To see the coroner recognise that at the end is quite nice and touching.
Mr Staton added: "It gives you peace of mind when you know exactly what has happened, it's a comfort.
"It's a terrible thing when an accident happens but to have an experienced nurse, the fire service and that gentleman who all helped, I'd just like to thank them. We're really grateful."
