A 96-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after her car mounted a pavement and hit two pedestrians.

Liverpool Crown Court heard June Mills, of Ainsdale on Merseyside, caused the death of Brenda Joyce, 76, in Formby on 2 August last year.

Mills sat in her wheelchair in the public gallery of the courtroom, with her husband behind her, to enter the plea on Tuesday.

Defending Mills, Tom Gent told the court: “The accelerator pedal fell down beneath her foot, she panicked and failed to react to that.”

He added that she accepts her driving fell far below the normal standard.

The court heard Mills mounted the kerb because she applied too much accelerator while driving her Vauxhall Corsa.

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Mr Gent said her mobility had worsened since the collision, pointing out she was only able to walk a few paces and would be unlikely to be fit to carry out unpaid work.

He also described her previous good character.

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Following the collision – on Elbow Lane in Formby last August – Merseyside Police said a 76-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another pedestrian, an 80-year-old woman, suffered slight injuries.

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Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC adjourned the hearing until September 30, when Mills will be sentenced.

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