Inquest hears how Stella, 17, died at bus stop

ROAD TRAF: F iC Rica COLLISION VERDICT

- MAXINE DENTON

A 17-YEAR-OLD girl from south-east Cornwall tragically lost her life after being hit by a car near a rural bus stop, an inquest has heard.

Stella Clark, from Bray Shop, near Callington, was fatally injured following the collision on the A388 near Stoke Road in Callington on January 17.

The inquest at Truro Coroners’ Court this week revealed that Stella would regularly take the 178 bus from Callywith College, in Bodmin, to Launceston, then switch buses to catch the 12A towards Callington. She would alight at the Penpill crossroad on the A388 and cross the road to meet her mother, who would be waiting in a lay-by to drive her home.

On the day of the tragic incident, Stella was returning home from college with her boyfriend, Dray Herbert, as usual. After getting off the bus on the A388 around 5.49pm, she quickly called her boyfriend, but the call ended abruptly when he lost signal.

Due to the dark and chilly weather, Stella had the hood of her coat up and used her phone torch for light. However, as she jogged across the road, which has a speed limit of 60mph, she was struck by a Mitsubishi Colt, resulting in fatal injuries.