Sportswoman's death 'a tragedy' (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Sportswoman's death 'a tragedy'

7:00am Saturday 28th April 2007

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A "TALENTED and popular" sportswoman from Harpenden was killed in South Africa when the car she was travelling in was hit by a lorry, an inquest was told this week.

Georgina Robinson, 28, was in a car with her boyfriend Ben Richard when they collided with the lorry on October 24 last year.

The lorry driver, who had right of way, told the police that the white Mercedez-Benz car the couple were in had failed to stop before turning right.

Ben, who lived in Botswana, was killed instantly and Georgina, from High Firs Crescent, Harpenden, died later in hospital.

The inquest, held at Hatfield Coroner's Court on Tuesday, heard that Georgina had flown out to Johannesburg on October 21 and had gone with Ben to visit his half-brother Luke in Gabarone in Botswana.

When the accident happened they were on their way to Port Alfred in South Africa, and were due to meet Ben's parents en route.

In a statement read out at the inquest, witness Samuel Bekinthemba said he had seen the car approaching the "four-way stop" junction, where it failed to stop and then collided with the lorry.

Police who attended the scene said Georgina was taken to a nearby Mediclinic with "extremely serious" injuries. Doctors in the hospital's intensive care unit resuscitated her after her heart stopped, but she died about two hours later from severe head injuries.

After her death, Georgina's body was flown back to the UK and her funeral was held at St John's Church in Harpenden.

Coroner Edward Thomas, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, said: "Her family said she was a very talented sportswoman, and that she was very popular and communicated fantastically with people.

"It is such a tragedy that she died in these circumstances."

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