Baby tragedy mum is still critically ill

Dec 8 2006 By The Journal

A woman was last night still in a critical condition after her unborn baby was killed in a car accident.

The 36-year-old lost control of her car and smashed into a wall on the forecourt of Hexham Service Station on Station Road in the town on Tuesday.

Staff looked on in horror as the Nissan car careered out of control doing a U-turn "at speed" across the forecourt before hitting a brick wall and wooden hut.

The woman, who was nine months pregnant, and is believed to be from the Hexham area, had entered the Esso garage at 2.30pm on Tuesday with her two-year-old daughter and was moving from one pump to another when the accident happened.

Workers at nearby Carrs Volkswagen garage comforted her as she held her stomach fearing for her unborn child's life.

Paramedics took her to Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary's maternity unit, where the baby was stillborn.

Police were last night continuing investigations into the freak accident, which could have been caused by the woman suffering gynaecological complications shortly before the crash.

She remains in a critical condition.

Anyone with information should contact police at Hexham on (0191) 214-6555, ext 61474.