A MOTHER has died after a car crashed into her and her family while they were out walking.

The mother and father and three children, including an infant in a pram, were walking together on the pavement of the A2100 at Upper Lake, in Battle, when they were struck by a black Volkswagen Beetle.

The car, being driven by a woman from St Leonards, also crashed into a cafe window leaving several customers trapped inside the building.

Police and paramedics were called at around 1.55pm on Sunday and found the mother with "potentially life-threatening" injuries and the father with a serious head injury.

Both were taken by ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, to receive treatment.

The female driver and the three children suffered shock and minor injuries and were treated at the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards.

Yesterday afternoon Sussex Police said the 37-year-old mother had died as a result of her injuries. The family are from Battle.

Police said the driver is being investigated over reports she may have been "under the influence of alcohol" at the time of the crash.

Under the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, blood samples were taken when the driver attended hospital and these have been sent for analysis.

The A2100 was closed either side of the crash scene at its junction with the A271 North Trade Road and in its junctions with Mount Street and Marley Lane.

Sergeant Dan Pitcher said: "We are now keen to talk to anyone who may have seen what happened or noticed the black VW being driven shortly beforehand."

Anyone with information is asked to use the eform at sussex.police.uk/contact-us/response-to-appeal/ or phone 101, quoting Operation Willington.