Woman’s head cut off in freak accident

David Stringer

Retired company director Roland Pudney, 56, trembled as he explained how

he believes the couple’s puppy jumped up for attention, causing him to tumble and direct the power tool at Pauline, 57.

Mrs Pudney, who had worked as a housing officer in Lewisham, south-east London, was killed instantly after she was almost decapitated in the incident.

Southwark Coroner’s Court heard that, following the incident, Mr Pudney, of Eltham, south-east London, was heard screaming and sobbing uncontrollably over his wife’s body.

He broke down several times as he told the court how his wife had been supporting the base of a ladder as he cut branches off apple trees in their garden.

“Then I just heard a bang and the next thing I remember I was lying on the ground. The saw wasn’t in my hand. I just looked over and she was lying there and I could see blood,” he said.

“I could see she wasn’t moving. Some people came and there was lots of noise. I could see that she was hurt and knew I had to go and phone an ambulance.”

He said he screamed out as he rushed inside their home and returned to the garden as he heard an ambulance pulling in.

He said: “People started getting me to go back inside the house and I knew she was dead.”

The court was told Mrs Pudney, who had won an award for her housing work, was on sick leave at the time after struggling to cope with the death of her mother last June. She had been taking anti-depressants and the couple had planned to retire, discussing plans to move to the countryside and breed golden retrievers.

Mr Pudney said that, as the couple began work on the tree before the accident, his wife had tossed a golf ball to their young dog, which she was attempting to teach fetching skills.

The couple, who had been married for 30 years, had sons Alex, 22, and Christopher, 21, who had both left the family home.

Mr Pudney said: “She was very special. Her whole life was devoted to housing and she loved her children more than anything. Southwark Coroner John Sampson recorded a verdict of accidental death.