A HUSBAND who became a widower for the second time after his wife died in a car crash last night described her as a “tremendous person”.

David Undery, 64, of Thame Road, Great Milton, was yesterday at the inquest of his wife, Janet, 49, who died when a pick-up truck collided with her car near the village at about 7.40am, last October 21.

The mother-of-two, a college nurse at Christ Church, in Oxford, died at the junction of Church Road and the A329.

The inquest heard Mrs Undery had pulled out in her silver Toyota Celica into the path of an oncoming red Toyota Hilux pick-up truck.

Speaking outside Oxford Coroner’s Court, Mr Undery said: “This is the second time I have been made a widower after my first wife died of cancer.

“I loved Janet to bits. She was a tremendous person, a brilliant musician and an amazing mother.”

The inquest heard from the truck’s driver, Peter Goodchild, 59, a landscape gardener from North Road, Moulsford.

He said: “I was travelling at about 45mph and I could see a silver car stop at the junction.

“When I was about 12 yards away my passenger said ‘watch the silver car’. I saw it move out in front of me and I put my brakes on, but it was impossible to stop.”

The inquest was told the speed limit on the road was 50mph.

The truck went into the driver’s side door and the impact caused Mrs Undery to crash into a ditch. The truck span around 180 degrees.An off-duty policeman unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate Mrs Undery and when paramedics arrived she had been in cardiac arrest for more than 15 minutes. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Thames Valley Police collision investigator Stephen Moffat said: “Time after time I come across collisions where someone checks up the road for a fraction of a second and then pulls out after failing to see something was there. She may have been distracted by the vehicle behind the truck.”

He added that neither of the vehicles were those recalled by Toyota in January following concerns over their safety.

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Last night Ken Rogers, chairman of Great Milton Parish Council, said: “She was a much-loved person in the village and she was known by many, many people.

“She sang with my wife in the village choir and it’s a very sad loss.”