TOUCHING tributes have been paid to a pensioner who died yesterday after being involved in a collision with a lorry.

The 77-year-old, named locally as grandmother Margaret Howell, suffered fatal injuries in the collision at Wimborne Road, Winton, at lunchtime on Thursday.

Widow Mrs Howell, who lived at Cox Avenue in Muscliff, was taken by ambulance to Poole Hospital where she died.

Sgt Steve Quill from Poole police traffic department said it appeared that the mother-of-two had crossed from the pavement outside G&Ts before tragedy struck.

The road was shut from Winton police station to Withermoor Road while crash investigators examined the scene of the accident.

Staff from Oswald Bailey donated blankets to help keep Mrs Howell warm.

Yesterday her shocked neighbours paid tribute to “a lovely lady.”

Sabina O’Kill, who lives next-door to the pensioner’s detached home, said: “Margaret was very kind and always there if you needed any help.

“We always had a laugh together; she was very active and loved dancing.

“Margaret was always going away on trips with her friends.

“This is a terrible shock because she was such a good neighbour.

“Nothing was too much trouble for her.”

Another tearful neighbour was still in shock after discovering that Mrs Howell had died.

The local coroner has been informed of the accident and an inquest will be held into Mrs Howell’s death.

Police last night revealed more details about what happened.

Sgt Len Vickery said the lorry was moving in slow stop-start traffic at the time.

"The lorry driver, a 46-year-old man from Lancashire, was suddenly aware of people banging on his cab door, shouting for him to stop.

"He stopped his lorry immediately and was told that a female pedestrian had been hit by the front of his truck and was now under his tractor unit.

"He assisted by immediately raising the suspension of the cab to allow maximum ground clearance for the ambulance to extract the injured pedestrian.

"The lady was taken to Poole General Hospital with leg and head injuries, she was conscious and talking and although her injuries appeared serious, there were no immediate concerns for her welfare.

"Unfortunately during the night the lady's condition worsened and she died from her injuries," he said.

Police are appealing to any witnesses that they have no yet spoken to to come forward.

Call 101. The officer in the case is PC 547 Vine.