A FACTORY worker’s death in a collision with a car on her walk to work was an accident, a coroner ruled.

A FACTORY worker’s death in a collision with a car on her walk to work was an accident, a coroner ruled.

Bronislava Ilgiene was killed when crossing the A142 near Chatteris early on March 31. She was on her way to work at Rustlers in Fenton Way when she was in collision with a Ford Fiesta travelling at 45mph.

An inquest at Fenland Magistrates’ Court heard she declined a lift to work that morning because she didn’t want to arrive too early for her 12-hour shift, which started at 6am.

Shocked colleagues and relatives gathered round the popular employee at the roadside in a last ditch attempt to save her but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Coroner William Morris recorded a verdict of accidental death at Friday’s inquest and said: “This has been a tragic case.”

Ms Ilgiene, of Huntingdon Road, Chatteris, worked at Rustler through Peterborough agency One Call Recruitment. She wore a dark blue jacket and similarly coloured headwear for work.

Sister-in-law Stanislovas Veiksra told how relatives had run up to her to say Ms Ilgiene was laying in the road.

Distant relation Simona Veiksraiene added: “I couldn’t take it all in at first. I can only recall saying: ‘What is happening?’”

Friends and family later laid flowers by the scene of the crash as a mark of respect.

Walter Benson told police he had been travelling at a “relatively modest” speed when his Fiesta was in collision with the pedestrian.

Mr Benson, of March, who was on his way to work at Ely railway station, said he “suddenly became aware of an impact” after turning off the Slade End roundabout. His headlights were on.

Police later carried out a reconstruction to determine how easily Mr Benson could have seen Ms Ilgiene. Pc Simon Burgin told the inquest she was only “clearly in view for a relatively short period of time, leaving him with very little time to react”.