Woman crushed to death by own car

NEIGHBOURS watched in horror as an elderly widow was crushed to death after her car rolled over her on Monday.

Nora Walsh, 81, had just parked her car on a sloped platform outside her home in Upper Aghada, Whitegate, near Midleton in Co Cork, at about 10.40pm on Monday when the accident occurred. She had stepped out of the car and was walking behind it when it appears to have rolled back off the two-feet high slope, crushing her beneath it.

Neighbours saw the accident unfold and rushed to help. They found Ms Walsh lying under the car. She had suffered severe injuries.

A doctor, an ambulance and gardaí were called and, despite desperate attempts to save her, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The body was taken to Cork University Hospital where a full post mortem was carried out yesterday.

The scene of the accident was preserved and a forensic collision investigator from Midleton Garda Station examined the scene.

A garda spokesman said they are treating the incident as a tragic accident. It is understood the handbrake was not fully applied.

“It was a very unfortunate and sudden death,” a garda spokesman said.

The tight-knit community of Aghada was in mourning yesterday.

She had been married to the late Liam Walsh, a prominent and popular local publican and had been actively involved in a number of voluntary groups locally.

Her funeral arrangements have not been finalised.