A ROAD Wars policeman killed two elderly women while driving to an emergency incident, a jury inquest heard.

PC Darren Staley was travelling on the A4 Bath Road in Calcot when he collided with a Nissan Micra on January 23 last year.

Dr Gwyneth DeCamps and Ann Valley both suffered traumatic injuries in the crash after attending a luncheon group meeting at a golf club.

The driver of the Nissan, 87-year-old Mrs Valley, died at the scene, while Dr DeCamps, 88, was taken to hospital before she died.

The inquest heard how the two women were slowly emerging from a junction when PC Staley hit their car at 49mph.

PC Staley was said to have acted heroically in the immediate aftermath of the crash, as he rushed from his unmarked vehicle to check on the two women.

Alison McCormick, assistant coroner for Berkshire, said that medical examinations revealed both women died of blunt force trauma to the chest.

The Thames Valley Police officer starred in the TV series Road Wars, known as Pc 'Daz' Staley, and served as an officer on the elite Pro-Active unit.

The jury heard how he was rushing to the scene of reports of an offender ramming into another police vehicle.

PC Staley said: "I could see a vehicle from my nearside in my view. It seemed they came out of nowhere - all I could remember is braking, holding the steering wheel in place and hoping it was going to stop.

"When I opened my eyes, my vehicle was full of smoke and straight away I was aware the vehicle was on fire. I undid my seatbelt, reached for the driver’s door and I remember having pain to my head."

An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation concluded the officer’s account was consistent with correct protocol and there was no indication of misconduct.

IOPC regional director Jonathan Green added: “The consequences of this incident were tragic and my thoughts are with both families and all those affected. After conducting a thorough investigation we found that the officer’s driving was in line with police policies for responding to emergency calls.”

Speaking shortly after Dr DeCamp’s death, Joy Heaton paid and emotional tribute to her mother.

She said: "I have never met anybody who loved their career so much. Even at Christmas she was saying how much she loved it and how much she missed it every day.

"Patients that she used to support in those days still sent her Christmas cards, along with their children and grandchildren. She worked through generations in the family planning field and helped many many patients fulfil their needs with children.

"Being a doctor was the only thing she ever wanted to do, right from when she was a little girl. She had to transfer schools because at the time she was growing up they didn't always encourage young ladies to study science subjects in the 1930s and 40s."

The inquest continues.