TV star Phil Spencer’s parents died in ‘some of most tragic circumstances ever heard’, coroner says
PHIL Spencer's parents were tragically killed when their car overturned in a river, an inquest heard today.
Richard, 89, and Anne, 82, were travelling in their Toyota when it plunged from a bridge near Lower Garrington Farm in Littlebourne, Kent.
An inquest heard how the couple were submerged in around three feet of water when the car overturned.
Ruling their deaths as an accident, Maidstone coroner Sarah Clarke said: "These circumstances are some of the most tragic I have ever heard."
Anne and Richard, parents of Location, Location, Location star Phil, had been chatting as they headed to lunch on a narrow private road on their land.
She was driving her husband and their full-time live-in carer when the vehicle "veered very slightly" to the side and tipped over the edge of a bridge.
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Both Richard - also known as David - and Anne were rushed to hospital after the August 18 tragedy but sadly couldn't be saved.
Their carer managed to climb out the car through a window and raise the alarm quickly.
The inquest heard Anne had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Richard had dementia.
Detective Sergeant Chris Wade, of the Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the accident was likely caused by “a lapse in concentration” by Anne.
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He added: "The bridge requires a great deal of care to negotiate as it’s extremely narrow with limited visibility.
“Despite Mrs Spencer being familiar with these roads, she appears to have momentarily steered to the offside with tragic consequences.
“There is no evidence of third party involvement, vehicle defects or external circumstances leading to this.”
A cause of death for Anne was given as aspiration pneumonitis, hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury - lack of oxygen - and near drowning.
Her husband died from aspiration pneumonitis due to near drowning, the court heard.
The condition is an infection of the lungs caused by inhaling food or liquid.
Paying tribute previously, Phil said: "As a family we are all trying to hold on to the fact mum and dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. Which is a blessing in itself.
"Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch), mum's Parkinson's and dad's dementia had been worsening and the long-term future was set to be a challenge.
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"So much so that mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking 'now it looks like we will probably go together'. And so they did."
