TV star Phil Spencer’s parents died when their car plunged into river as they drove to lunch, inquest told
PHIL Spencer’s parents were tragically killed when their car overturned in a river, an inquest heard today.
Richard, 89, and Anne, 82, were travelling in their Toyota when it plunged from a bridge near Lower Garrington Farm in Littlebourne, Kent.
An inquest heard how the couple were submerged in around three feet of water when the car overturned.
Ruling their deaths as an accident, Maidstone coroner Sarah Clarke said: “These circumstances are some of the most tragic I have ever heard.”
Location, Location, Location star Phil previously told how his parents were on their way to lunch when the horror unfolded.
Anne was driving her husband and their full-time live-in carer when the vehicle tipped over the edge of a bridge on their land.
Both Richard – also known as David – and Anne were rushed to hospital after the August 18 tragedy but sadly couldn’t be saved.
Their carer managed to climb out the car through a window and raise the alarm quickly.
A cause of death for Anne was given as aspiration pneumonia, hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury – lack of oxygen – and near drowning.
Aspiration pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by inhaling food or liquid.
Paying tribute previously, Phil said: “As a family we are all trying to hold on to the fact mum and dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. Which is a blessing in itself.
“Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch), mum’s Parkinson’s and dad’s dementia had been worsening and the long-term future was set to be a challenge.
“So much so that mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking ‘now it looks like we will probably go together’. And so they did.”