A WATCHET woman killed in a collision with a car on the A358 road just outside Williton had been seen walking along the unlit carriageway by a string of motorists shortly before the night-time accident.

An inquest in Minehead on Tuesday heard that 20-year-old Gemma Bate's appearance on the road on the evening of November 15 had sparked concern from a number of people.

Ms Bate, from Woodland Road, died from traumatic injuries following a collision with a Peugeot 306 driven by Bryony Richardson near the West Somerset Railway bridge at Sampford Brett.

A toxicology report revealed that the victim had a blood/alcohol level of 87 - just above the drink-driving limit of 80.

The hearing was told that Ms Bate travelled to Taunton with a friend, Sasha Lanning, earlier in the day and was due to return home with her.

But at the last minute she stayed in the town to meet another friend and watch the Christmas lights switch-on.

In evidence, Ms Lanning said Ms Bate bought four cans of lager during their shopping trip and drank two while they were together.

She said Ms Bate had just under £1 on her when she decided to get off the bus on which they had been due to return to Watchet and that the ticket she bought for the journey had already been "clipped" by the driver.

But in a statement read out to the hearing, Bridget Chilcott, who had met up with Ms Bate, said she definitely caught the 7.20pm bus from Taunton to return to Watchet.

Ms Chilcott said Ms Bate had drunk the remaining cans of lager while they were together but did not seem to be drunk.

"She was just bubbly and in control," she said.

Ms Chilcott described her friend - whom she met while they were both living in a homeless hostel in Taunton - as "a larger than life personality."

"She was totally wacky and crazy, totally fearless - she wouldn't worry about walking along the main road," she said.

Gary Fry told the inquest that at about 8.20pm he was travelling from Taunton to his home at Vellow with his wife and two young children when he saw a girl walking in the middle of the road not far from the Stogumber junction.

His wife, who was driving, slowed down and the girl, who was walking towards Minehead, moved to the right-hand carriageway.

The couple were so concerned that they put on the car's hazard lights to warn an approaching vehicle and also turned round and drove back to check if the girl was all right.

But when they reached her she had stepped onto a grass verge.

They then saw her get back onto the road, walking on the Taunton-bound carriageway.

"We were concerned and considered phoning the police," said Mr Fry.

"But we thought she seemed OK - she didn't appear drunk or upset."

Two other drivers saw Ms Bate and later gave statements to the police, expressing their concern and surprise at seeing a pedestrian on the dark and dangerous stretch of road.

Bethan Gutteridge, associate vicar to the parishes of Williton and Watchet, was also driving along the road with her husband and was the first to come across the collision.

She told the inquest she saw hazard lights ahead and stopped the car to talk to the driver of the vehicle involved.

The young woman - Ms Richardson - was "clearly very distressed" and "hysterical.", said Mrs Gutteridge.

"She said she thought she had run somebody over."

Although the windscreen of Ms Richardson's car was smashed, Mr and Mrs Gutteridge could not see anyone lying injured near or under the car because it was so dark.

But Ms Bate's body was trapped beneath the vehicle and was not discovered until the emergency services arrived on the scene between five and ten minutes after the collision.

Police who shone a torch under the vehicle saw the body but could see no sign of life.

In evidence, Ms Richardson, who passed her driving test about 14 months before the accident, said she was on her way to Carhampton to see her boyfriend.

She said she was travelling at between 40 and 45mph when she suddenly saw a figure in front of her.

"I immediately slammed on the brakes and turned to the right to avoid her.

"I thought I had avoided her but out of the corner of my eye I saw her running in the same direction.

"Then she hit the windscreen and I stopped."

Ms Richardson said Ms Bate had been "very, very close".

PC Peter David, of the Avon and Somerset police collision investigation unit, said Ms Bate must have been further away than the four to five metres Ms Richardson told police in a statement following the collision.

But he said there would still not have been enough time or distance for her to have avoided her.

He said the damage to Ms Richardson's vehicle was consistent with her estimated speed, which was within the 50mph limit for the road.

He said the alcohol consumed by Ms Bate may have been a contributory factor and the conclusion of his investigation was that Ms Richardson - whose vehicle was found to have no faults or defects - could not have avoided her.

Returning a verdict of accidental death, West Somerset coroner Michael Rose said it was very tragic, both for the young girl who lost her life but also the driver of the vehicle involved.

Mr Rose said one unanswered question was why Ms Bate had got off the bus.

"She may not have had enough money to go all the way but her behaviour does concern me," he said.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions about her actions that evening"

Mr Rose said there was nothing to suggest that Ms Richardson's driving had been anything but normal.

"I think she [Ms Bate] went into the path of the car, rather than the car into her."