A PENSIONER died from a severe chest injury following a crash on the A420 near Faringdon, an inquest heard today.

William ‘Bill’ Jacobs, 85, died after his Range Rover clipped a broken down lorry at around 50mph - sending his car into oncoming traffic before hitting another lorry and ending up in a ditch.

The retired Rover test driver, who lived in East Challow, near Wantage, was pronounced dead at 7.40am on December 21, 2017, around 50 minutes after the crash.

Assistant Coroner Nicholas Graham concluded that the death was due to a road traffic collision, in Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court this afternoon.

Resuscitation attempts by emergency services crews were unsuccessful.

Mr Jacobs’ wife Mary said he had lived ‘a full and active life’ and said the last time she saw her husband was when he dropped her off to work that morning.

Despite earlier confusion, it was confirmed that he was wearing a seatbelt.

Forensic Collisions Investigator PC James Henderson said that more might have been done by the lorry to make itself seen - but did note that many cars had passed before the collision.

The driver behind, Simon Palmer, said Mr Jacobs appeared not to see the lorry. Robert Bourne, the second lorry driver, said he had no time to brake.

Mr Jacobs was a fit man with good eyesight and there was no evidence of alcohol, drug or mobile phone use, experts said.

Robert Haywood, the driver of the broken down lorry, added that he was sat in his cabin with the engine running and hazards on when he heard the impact.