Karen Dance was struck by a car on the A329 in the early hours of October 21

Karen Dance, of Rowe Court, Reading, had been out drinking with a friend at The Blagrave Arms, but left the pub after getting into a row with another punter.

Witnesses later saw the 44-year-old wonder onto the Inner Distribution Road (IDR) and start waving her arms in the early hours of October 21.

The inquest at Reading Town Hall on Wednesday heard how several cars had to swerve in unfriendly conditions to avoid hitting her.

She was then hit by a white Range Rover at around 1.45am by a white Range Rover, being driven by Aamar Mahmood.

Justina Slamaite, who was in the car behind Mahmood, explained how there was nothing he could have done to avoid hitting her, despite taking a sharp turn to enter the slip lane where Dance was standing.

She said: "It was a little bit erratic. It was raining, so I would say the weather conditions were not suitable for the type of driving.

"I felt the driving of the white vehicle was extremely reckless, although the driver would not have seen the female until it was too late.

"If I was the one who was driving, I do not think the collision would have resulted in the woman passing away."

However, Andrew Evans, a forensic collision investigator for Thames Valley Police, said it was reasonable not to expect pedestrians on the IDR.

He also explained how Mahmood's reaction times would have been reduced by the fact that the woman was wearing dark clothing on a 'poorly lit' stretch of road.

A toxicology report found Dance was two and a half times above the drink-drive limit and possibly became 'disorientated' as she had only just moved to the area.

Ms Slamaite had recently completed a First Aid course and attempted CPR at the scene before paramedics arrived.

Emma Jones, assistant coroner for Berkshire, explained how all legal proceedings against Mahmood had been dropped.

During his evidence, Mahmood said the only way he could have avoided hitting her was by not being on the IDR that night.