A WOMAN who died in a car crash on a petrol station forecourt was a British national visiting relatives with her husband.

Police are trying to piece together the last moments of a French-registered silver Renault Kangoo before it crashed into a blue Toyota Aygo yesterday.

The accident happened on the forecourt of the Local Fuels service station on the A27 eastbound near Lewes at about 11am.

The Argus:

At least seven police vehicles, two ambulances and a fire engine ended up at the scene, opposite the Newmarket Inn, after reports of a collision.

Emergency service workers, including a forensic investigation unit, remained there for several hours.

Sergeant Huw Watts told The Argus at the scene: “One of the occupants of the cars has sadly died. No arrests have been made.”

The Renault, bearing a French registration plate and understood to be left-hand-drive, crashed into the back of the Toyota next to one of the petrol pumps.

The occupants of the Renault, a husband and wife, both aged 74, were British nationals living in France and had arrived in England yesterday morning to visit relatives.

A bollard protecting the pumps nearest the road appeared to be bent but police have said this was not caused by the crash.

Furthermore, there was little debris on the forecourt and neither vehicle showed much sign of damage, indicating a low-speed impact.

The woman's husband, who was driving, was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton in a serious condition.

A third person, driving the Toyota, was uninjured.

Police would not confirm if the crash was caused by a medical episode prior to impact.

The Argus:

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “The woman passenger was sadly found to be dead and the man who was driving the car was unwell and was taken to hospital in a serious condition. Neither had sustained any physical injury in the collision.

"The woman's death is being treated as unexplained. A postmortem will take place this week.

"The driver of the Toyota was unhurt and no damage was caused to the service station.

"We are interested to hear from witnesses who may have seen the Renault Kangoo driving on the A27 prior to the collision.”

If you have any information email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 and quote Operation Bedstone.

Local Fuels has declined to comment on the matter.