Joanne Tidball, aged 47, of Tenbury Court, Penn, was killed in a “tragic accident” under the wheels of a Ford Focus on a pelican crossing on Penn Road. The inquest was told that traffic lights at the crossing had been on red when she reached the central reservation and she tried to cross over the inbound lane to reach a bus stop by the Tesco Express store at 7.35am.

They changed to green as she was crossing the road, but she lost her balance and fell over just feet away from the pavement, before a Ford Focus hit her head.

Wolverhampton Coroner Richard Allen said the UCE Birmingham lecturer may have been rushing across the road to try and catch a bus into Wolverhampton City Centre.

Miss Tidball, who was single but lived with her boyfriend, was taken to Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital where she was confirmed dead after suffering multiple skull fractures and brain injuries.

Lauren Brown was waiting at the bus stop and watched the tragedy unfold on January 22.

She told the inquest: “I was at the bus stop and I watched her try and cross the road, and as she went to walk over she hesitated and tripped over.

“It was as if she was trying to cross the road, realised that she wasn’t going to make it and slipped and fell over.”

A police investigation revealed that the lights were on green for two seconds when the car reached Miss Tidball. The driver was travelling to work, was not breaking any speed limits, and was too close to stop.

Mr Allen said: “She was crossing over the road, and as she did so she was seen to be hurrying.

“It may have been that she was in a hurry to get to the bus stop.

“She then stumbled and fell forward, quite why has not been established, and sadly, tragically, she was struck by the Ford Focus and died of her injuries.”

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.