IN a moving statement after the inquest, husband Bill Gammon paid tribute to Patricia and described the terrible moment he stumbled across the scene of the accident that had killed his wife.

He said: "My wife Patricia was asleep in her bed when the phone rang at 1am. The caller was her daughter Sharon who was 37 weeks pregnant. She was phoning to ask her mother if she would come over to her house in Finchampstead to look after her other son, two-year-old Thomas, while she and her husband Geoff went to the Royal Berkshire Hospital for an urgent medical check.

"Trisha got up and got dressed and jumped in her car for the short journey to Finchampsted. I remember telling Trisha to be careful on the road at that time of the morning because outside temperatures had been low and frost was a possibility.

"It takes ten or 12 minutes to complete the intended journey and when the telephone rang again at about 1.20am it was Sharon asking if her mum had left yet because she hadn't arrived to babysit.

"I knew then that something was wrong. I told Sharon that her mum had left ages ago and that I would get dressed and drive the same route that Trisha would have taken in the hope of finding her. At the twin roundabout junction where the Sandhurst Road crosses Nine Mile Ride, I came to a police road block which was preventing traffic using that section of the road and I could see the reflection of the blue flashing beacons in the trees. I explained who I was and what I was doing and asked the police if the incident was a road accident. They confirmed that it was.

"I asked if a Renault Megan was involved. They confirmed that it was. I could now only remember part of the registration number, however with the exchange of other information and radio contact with the crash scene it was confirmed that Trisha was the driver of the white Renault which had been struck by another car coming the other way. The police then also confirmed that Trisha had died at the scene due to her injuries. A WPC at the roadblock drove me to Sharon's house via an alternative route where I found that Sharon had also driven out in her car to try and find her mum. Sharon only got to the end of her road before she found the other end of the road block.

"The police then drove Sharon back to her house and they were there when I arrived. Sharon and Geoff had already been informed of Trisha's death. Sharon was devastated and had still not been to the hospital and was now in no fit state to go anywhere. The police phoned the hospital to explain the situation and Sharon was eventually persuaded to be taken to hospital by paramedics where the necessary checks were carried out. Trisha in her usual selfless manner agreed to babysit in the early hours of that Saturday morning to help out and because she loved her grandchildren so very much.

"She would not have had it any other way. Trisha was so excited about the impending arrival of the new baby and had special cards for either boy or girl standing by at home for the great day. Sharon gave birth to Trisha's new grandson three days after the tragedy which took her away from us. The baby is named James and he weighed in at 7lbs 6oz and is adorable. We are shocked and dismayed to learn this tragedy appears to have been caused by the other car being driven partly on the wrong side of the road towards Trisha when approaching a crest, and that the driver had drunk sufficient alcohol that night to render him legally unfit to drive. This occurrence was totally preventable and not an accident.

"Trisha was a wonderful person, a loving wife and mother, and a doting young grandmother. Trisha leaves behind her loving husband Bill, two daughters Sharon and Zoe, two stepdaughters Kerry and Hayley and seven grandchildren one of which she never got to meet. Trisha is irreplaceable and will be sorely missed by all her family and friends. Her memory lives on."