Probe into road surface after fatal crash

Police and the local highways department are investigating the state of the road surface where a car crashed into a petrol station killing the driver.

The B4077 near Winchcombe, Gloucestershir had recently been resurfaced before Julie Stodart-Cook, 43, died after her car crashed at Alderton Garage.

Gloucestershire Highways said they had dusted the road with grit after it began to "sweat" and put out 20mph signs to warn drivers..

Local resident Roger Knapp said the road had been dangerous for years because the speed limit of 60mph was too high, and that recent resurfacing work had not helped.

He told the BBC: "The bad condition of the road and the speed cars travel down that road has been highlighted this weekend with the tragic death of that teacher."

Kath Haworth, stakeholder manager at the highways department, said: "Gloucestershire Highways carried out surface dressing on the road some weeks ago but, following the recent hot spell, the surface began to 'sweat'.

"So at the end of last week, we dusted the surface with fine grit and we also put out 20mph speed signs on the road to warn drivers.

"We are working with the police on their investigation, so it would be inappropriate to speculate about the cause of the accident at this time."