Inquest hears how great-grandmother died after being hit by branch in Somerset
"Our mother was a caring, supportive, fun-loving person who was taken from us far too soon."
A retired florist died after being struck by a falling tree branch as she walked her dog in a public park, an inquest heard.
Mother-of-two Carol Spearing, 75, had met two friends for a walk in Ashcombe Park in her home town of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, with her dog, Barney, on the morning of June 5 last year.
Avon Coroners' Court heard there was a loud crack as they walked on a public footpath and Mrs Spearing, who had recently become a great-grandmother, was struck by a large, tree branch.
She sustained a head injury and fractures in the incident and was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where she died in intensive care on June 30.
The coroner told the hearing that the tree had been regularly inspected, with the last examination in July 2023 finding no defects, in line with national guidelines.
Her son Sean Spearing said in a statement to the inquest: "Our mother was an active person who was in good health,"
"She walked her dog daily. Our mother was a caring, supportive, fun-loving person who was taken from us far too soon."
George Taylor, who works for Glendale - a ground maintenance company contracted by North Somerset Council - said the tree was a macrocarpa or Monterey cypress, which was considered low risk.