A MOTHER-OF-THREE died yards from home when an HGV lorry crashed into the back of her sports car, an inquest heard.

Gail Nixon, 47, was returning home from Winsford on November 21, 2007 and had stopped her blue MG car on the A54 Holmes Chapel Road to turn right at the junction with Brereton Lane at Sproston, where she lived, at about 5.40pm.

As she waited to turn she was hit from behind by Roger Wood’s DAF model HGV and forced into the path of William Allan’s MAN lorry, which was travelling towards Middlewich.

Mrs Nixon, an estate agent, died instantly. The cause of death was given as fracture dislocation of the thoracic spinal column.

An inquest at Crewe heard conditions were cold and dark but clear and, therefore, Mr Wood, an experienced HGV driver for more than 35 years who lives at Bent Lane, Crowton, Northwich, had a “clear and unobstructed view of the junction for 150 metres.”

Recording a verdict of misadventure Cheshire coroner Dr Nicholas Rheinberg said: “It was a very unequal contest.”

Mrs Nixon, who had three grandchildren, lived with her husband, land manager Timothy, 62.

Her daughter Terri Chapman added: “My mum was a wonderful woman. She will be very sadly missed by her husband, children grandchildren and friends.”