THE family of a Hanley Castle woman who died in a car accident wants the speed limit lowered where she crashed.

Sixty-nine-year-old Valerie Bown died in April from injuries sustained when her Peugeot 406 was in collision with a Land Rover at the Danemoor Crossroads, near Welland.

At an inquest into her death at Stourport-upon-Severn coroner's court on Tuesday, coroner Victor Round was asked by the Bown family if he would look into having the speed limit reduced.

He said he would and added: "This piece of road comes to my attention quite often."

After the inquest, Mrs Bown's husband, Michael, said he wanted to see a 30mph limit imposed on the B4208 which leads to the junction.

"It's always been a very dangerous crossroads," said Mr Bown. "You always get lots of traffic on the roads at certain times of day."

He said at the junction, the road turns slightly to the right making visibility difficult on the near-side of cars approaching the crossroads.

His daughter Susan added: "I know there have been other accidents there and we were wondering if lowering the limit is something they would consider.

"My thought is that as you come downhill from Welland to the crossroads, from 30mph at the top of the hill, it's a very inviting straight road. We've all done it."

John Wallace, of the Malvern Hills Highway Partnership Unit, which oversees road safety in the district, said: "If we receive a recommendation from the coroner we will look at it very seriously."

He said from 1998 to 2002 there had been only one accident causing injury at the crossroads but that there had been two last year.

At the inquest, Mr Round said Mrs Bown died from fatal head injuries having spent the week after the accident in hospital.

The driver of the Land Rover, Sheila Anne Davenport, suffered whiplash injuries.

He added that Mrs Bown had pulled out of the crossroads into the path of the other vehicle. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.