A pop star who sang with UK dance band Soul II Soul was hit by four cars as she fled a superstore after stealing flowers, an inquest was told.

Former crack cocaine user Doreen Waddell, 36, of Clarendon Villas, Hove - who had won a Grammy award in the United States for her work - was killed as she crossed the A27 near Southwick Hill Tunnel on March 1.

The hearing at Worthing was told that Miss Waddell, who had a three-year-old son, had stolen from the Tesco supermarket at Holmbush just minutes before she was killed.

Tesco staff had been suspicious of the singer because she was putting flowers and other items items into her bags rather than a trolley.

The inquest heard that a fire alarm was set off when a sealed door was pushed open and it is believed Miss Waddell may have used the door to escape a security guard waiting at the store's main exit.

As staff followed safety procedures and left the building to meet in the car park, some spotted Miss Waddell at the top of an embankment which separates Tesco from the dual carriageway.

Detective Constable Barrie Southerden, returning from Newhaven to his Durrington home, told how he had to swerve to miss the leather-clad singer as she crossed the westbound lane of the A27. He warned police of the incident.

As she crossed the eastbound lane, Miss Waddell moved into the path of a Ford Transit van driven by delivery man Simon Rowe.

He said: "I came around the corner and somebody was in front of me. I do not remember braking. I swerved to the left and, all of a sudden, thump.

"I did not see any movement from the central reservation - it was literally just someone in front of me."

Another witness, lorry driver Ingrid Hanning, broke down in tears as she told of how she hit the body moments later.

She said: "I noticed the debris and my first reaction was that the van's back door must have thrown open and packages were falling out.

"I went through what I thought was a black bin bag - it was only when I was literally on top of it that a head and a left hand came out. I really did not have time to stop."

Two other cars also hit the body but West Susesx coroner Roger Stone said evidence suggested she had died on the first impact. Mr Stone recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Miss Waddell had previously been convicted of shoplifting and had been accused of blackmail.