Laurie Jones: Safety barriers call after nurse crash death

The mother of a woman who drowned after crashing her car into a river in heavy rain has called for barriers along the stretch of road where she died.

Nurse Laurie Jones, 23, from Pontllanfraith, Caerphilly, was last seen leaving Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales on 1 October.

Gwent Police found her body in the River Sirhowy, near Ynysddu in Caerphilly county, the following day.

Caerphilly council said it continuously reviewed the safety of its roads.

Recording a narrative verdict at Newport Coroner's Court on Tuesday, Assistant Coroner for Gwent David Regan said Ms Jones died "through absolutely no fault of her own".

Mr Regan found a combination of factors contributed to Ms Jones' death, including poor driving conditions, the fact it was dark and the bend in the road.

Her cause of death was recorded as drowning and a head injury.

Ms Jones' mother, Jo Jones, has called for more to be done by the council to protect motorists.

Speaking after the verdict, Jo Jones said: "The lighting is an issue and the barrier might have helped - it's so dangerous."

She said she had done research which showed road safety was an issue at the spot.

"She was just an everyday person going about her job. She had a lot more potential to give to life," she added.

In a statement, a Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesman said: "This was a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the family at this time.

"We continuously review the accident statistics on our highway network and take appropriate measures to reduce the likelihood of accidents wherever possible."

Police told the inquest the car was in good condition.

It was found in the river in fifth gear with the windscreen wipers on and the heating set to cold and directed at the windscreen.

In a written statement, Laurie's father Simon Jones told the inquest his daughter "always wanted to be a nurse, like her mum".

He said she was her "normal, happy self" leading up to the crash and that she was "well used to working long shifts".

But the inquest heard from a patient who was treated by Ms Jones that night and had recalled her seeming "exhausted".

Mr Regan concluded from toxicology results that Ms Jones had not been drinking alcohol prior to the crash.