A BRIDPORT woman recovering from breast cancer died after her car collided with an articulated lorry on the town's bypass, a coroner heard.

Gillian Ann Colls, 47, of King Street, was driving a red Nissan Micra westwards along the A35 Bridport bypass at around lunchtime on March 7 this year.

West Dorset Coroners' Court at Dorchester was told on Wednesday that her vehicle crossed three lanes near the Eype turn-off before the collision, in which her car left the ground, spun round and came to rest with two wheels on the verge.

The Devon-born housewife suffered major head injuries and a brain haemorrhage, and died the next day at Dorset County Hospital.

The lorry driver, Wayne Andrew Endicott, said: "She was looking right at me and she had both hands on the steering wheel.

"When I realised she was coming at me, I attempted to go into the second lane.

"Afterwards, I walked down to the car and said 'hello' - I did not know what to say - but there was no response."

Delivery driver Raymond Shurey was waiting in his Ford Transit to get to the Eype picnic area when Mrs Coll's car crossed the road.

He said: "It just veered across the front of me going about 50 or 60 miles per hour, and the driver seemed to be going from side to side.

"There was no braking and I could not see why it happened - the traffic was not heavy and the weather was dry, with good visibility.

"The collision took place in the nearside lane in the space of between five and seven seconds."

Widower Nigel Colls said his wife was recovering from breast cancer and was on medication for depression, but thinking about taking on voluntary work.

On one occasion in the month before she died, he said her head lolled and she had problems keeping her eyes open, but said she was fine.

Coroner Michael Johnston said: "I feel that I can find no explanation for as to why her vehicle went across the road."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.