Mown down by an F1 buggy at 8mph

Jim Carpenter fell over and hit the pavement when the 8mph (13kph) Shoprider buggy knocked into him.

The retired postman, 88, later died of head injuries in hospital.

His widow, Irene, claimed that buggy driver Peter Jenkinson was going too fast in his red batterypowered

vehicle. It was decorated like a red F1 car with the seven-time champion's name emblazoned on the back and a Ferrari prancing horse on each side.

Mr Jenkinson, who was wearing a Ferrari hat at the time, later told police he assumed Mr Carpenter would move out of the way.

'But I didn't drive off - I stopped,' added the 66-year-old.

His son had put Schumacher's name on the back of the carriage

'because he was the world champion', he explained. Mrs Carpenter, from Brighton, said: 'I watched in horror as the buggy accelerated towards Jim.

'There was a loud crash of the buggy hitting his tricycle Zimmer frame,' she added.

'He was thrown violently sideways and forwards towards the road, still clutching the handlebars.'

The crash happened in October, near Eastbourne Pier, Sussex.

Coroner Alan Craze recorded an accidental death verdict, saying:

'This seems to be a very sad and perhaps slightly bizarre accident.'