Toddler died after being hit by Land Rover on Exford farm

A toddler died after being struck by a Land Rover travelling at "walking pace" on a farm, an inquest has heard.

Amelia Edwards, two, suffered fatal head injuries at Westermill Farm in Exford, near Minehead, Somerset, last December.

She had walked in front of the vehicle as the driver stopped to talk to family when she was struck, the hearing was told.

Coroner Tony Williams recorded a narrative verdict.

The inquest, in Taunton, heard Amelia was in the grounds of the property with two family members at the time on 6 December.

Sgt Joseph Sample, of Avon and Somerset Police, said as the conversation was going on, Amelia walked around the front of the Land Rover, stopped, then walked back.

She may have believed it was safe to walk in front of it because the vehicle's engine was not running due to a stop/start system, the hearing was told.

Sgt Sample said: "The driver began to move forward as Amelia walked across the front of his vehicle.

"In my opinion, the vehicle never reached a speed greater than what I would describe as walking pace."

Despite the slow speed, Sgt Sample said it caused the injuries which lead to Amelia's death.

He added the entire incident, from when the driver stopped to talk to the family to when they stopped again after the impact, took 30 seconds.

Sgt Sample said the driver would not have been able to see Amelia at any time, and the vehicle's parking sensors would not have been activated.

He said the "tragic incident" took place in "a matter of seconds".

"By the time the driver would have been aware that something had happened, it was already too late to avoid the outcome," he said.

During the hearing, it emerged the Land Rover's engine cut out automatically when stopped - known as a stop/start system.

Alcohol, drugs and mobile phone use were not factors, while no mechanical faults were found with the car, Sgt Sample added.

The names of the driver or the family members with Amelia were not given at the inquest, which was attended by her parents.