A POLICEMAN'S widow whose husband was killed in a car crash on the flooded Dorchester by-pass has won £225,000 in agreed damages for his death.

Susan Toomer, of Old Dairy, Manor Pound, Bere Regis, settled her claim against the Department of the Environment at London's High Court just as her case was about to come to trial there.

Her husband, Inspector Ian Toomer of the Dorset Police, died in the early hours of April 20, 1999, after his car overturned on the A35.

The unmarked police car left the road and Mr Toomer, 51, who was described as 'hard-working and ambitious', was killed instantly.

He had been driving from Bridport to Bournemouth Police Station when his car hit a pool of water as he overtook a brewery lorry travelling in the same direction.

An inquest heard that his car somersaulted high into the air and landed upside down in the garden of a house.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.

Mr Toomer, who had 29 years' experience as a police officer, joined the Bournemouth and Dorset Constabulary in 1973 and worked throughout Dorset during his career.

He had two daughters from a former marriage and two grandchildren.

Yesterday, the legal team for 49-year-old Mrs Toomer had been planning to argue that the Environment Department - which did not admit liability - was at fault because a drain on the road was blocked.

In court documents, barrister Barry Coulter, for Mrs Toomer, said there was a great deal of standing water on the road, which Mr Toomer's car hit when he overtook a lorry.

Recently, local MP Oliver Letwin had called for increased safety measures on the stretch of road, which has been described as an accident blackspot.

Speaking in court, Mr Coulter told Judge Simon Hawkesworth QC that, as well as settling Mrs Toomer's case for £225,000, the Environment Department had also agreed to pay her £145,000 legal costs bills.

"There were interesting and complex litigation risks to both parties," added Mr Coulter.

He said the Environment Department had been planning to argue Mr Toomer was partly at fault, and were also defending the case on the basis there had not been a breach of their responsibility to road users.

"I would like to congratulate the parties on reaching this agreement," said Judge Hawkesworth.