Stuart McIntosh, 77, of Lower Icknield Way, sadly died at the scene on the A4129 Thame Road.

The accident happened on the evening of October 19 last year.

An inquest into his death on February 3 heard Mr McIntosh, of Little Horsenden Farm, was crossing over to the other side of the road when he was hit.

In a statement read out to Beaconsfield Coroner’s Court, Max Smith, the driver of the car, said he “suddenly” saw “a pedestrian” – Mr McIntosh – “walking from the left to the right” and that he tried to swerve out of the way and brake, but it was too late.

He said: “I went straight into the pedestrian and collided with him as I slammed on the brakes.”

Mr Smith said he called 999 as he got out of his car and walked towards Mr McIntosh, where there was a lady who said she was a cardiologist and performed CPR on Mr McIntosh.

He added: “I took off my jacket and put it under his head.”

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Mr Smith was told by police his driver’s side headlight was not working properly, but the court was told by a Thames Valley Police officer this would not have made a difference as to whether Mr McIntosh would have been hit or not, as Mr Smith's car was too close when he saw him.

Mr McIntosh’s son Philip said his father had picked him up from work – a field he was working in alongside Thame Road – on that day, and collected a trailer.

The pair stopped off in a layby to pick up the trailer, with Philip saying he also needed to pick up some tools from the other side of the road.

He said he offered to drive the truck with the trailer and asked his father to step back as he reversed.

Pictured: A4129 Thame Road

Philip also said he asked his father to wait on the other side, so that he could collect his tools and head home.

He said he drove the truck to the end of the long layby and could see a vehicle approaching from the other side, so he waited.

Philip then pulled out and drove a few feet ahead when he saw the car had stopped and there was someone in the road.

He said: “I had a sinking feeling as I knew my dad had been there.

“I saw my dad lying in the road.”

He added: “I saw a male and he said, ‘he just stepped out’.

“I was hoping he would get up and we would be leaving.”

Sadly, Mr McIntosh’s injuries were so severe, he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from South Central Ambulance Service and Thames Valley Air Ambulance, which was also called to the scene.

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Another eyewitness, Matthew Stevens, who was travelling in the other direction, reported seeing Mr Smith’s car “swerve towards [his] side of the road”.

He said in a statement read out to the court: “I thought they had lost control but then saw why [they swerved].

“The oncoming car then corrected its course and slowed down.”

Mr Stevens then stopped his car and got out, and said he “saw a figure lying in the road”.

Map: Google

He added: “The driver was carrying out chest compressions. It was clear they were trying to do everything they could to save him.

“Max didn’t say anything to me about what had happened but it didn’t seem like he was speeding and it was clear that he had swerved to try and avoid the pedestrian.

“He looked shaken.”

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PC Adrian White, of Thames Valley Police, carried out an assessment of the road and said despite Mr Smith’s driver’s side front light being faulty – which Mr Smith said he was not aware of – the accident sadly could not have been prevented as Mr Smith’s car was too close to Mr McIntosh when it hit him, and there was no time to stop.

Senior coroner Crispin Butler recorded a conclusion of a road traffic collision, saying: “It is a very difficult and tragic event that’s occurred in a split second.

“It is very clear there was a defective headlight, but the collision was almost certain to occur regardless.

“It is utterly tragic what has occurred.”

His medical cause of death was recorded as multiple fatal injuries.