Tragedy as pensioner who crashed car suffered heart attack at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and died

Anthony Alderton, aged 84, of Pilling, died following the crash in the village. The inquest into his death was told that Mr Alderton crashed his car into a building in an industrial yard close to Taylor's Lane and Lancaster Lane, Pilling, in December 2024.

He told a witness his brakes had failed, but witness James Brown said that when he found Mr Alderton sitting in the car he was pressing the accelerator and not the brake as he showed him what he had been trying to do.

Senior coroner Chris Long is holding an inquest at County Hall, Preston, into the death of Mr Alderton.

Mr Alderton's family told the coroner in a statement that Mr Alderton had crashed his car in December 2023. He could not explain what had happened. As a result he voluntarily surrendered his driving licence.

In December 2024 he was in the process of trying to get his licence back. James Brown told the inquest that he was in the yard when he saw Mr Alderton driving a car in his direction. The car crashed into a building and he went to help.

He said: “When I got to him he seemed all right. He had his foot on the accelerator. He was saying his brakes had failed. I said 'That's the accelerator'”.

Mr Brown said he did not see the car make any attempt to stop. Paramedics arrived and assessed Mr Alderton at the scene before taking him to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

The hearing was told that Mr Alderton wanted to go home, and appeared fine at first. Then he became a little "disorientated" and an ambulance crew insisted on taking him to hospital.

Paramedic Richard Norfolk said it was suspected Mr Alderton may have suffered internal injuries.

Around 10 minutes after arrival at hospital he had a heart attack.

A police investigation revealed the car had no defects and there was no obvious cause for the crash.

The hearing continues.