Wendy Doyle, of Milbank Terrace, Shotton Colliery, died in hospital two days after an argument with David Briggs.

A dispute broke out between the 61-year-old and her neighbour, Mr Briggs, after a car hit his van on the street where they lived on July 7 last year.

During the incident, the former lollipop lady hit her head on the side of the road and fractured her skull.

Mr Briggs was arrested for actual bodily harm on the day of the incident and re-arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after Mrs Doyle died on July 9.

But no charges were ever pressed because of a lack of evidence
Giving evidence at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court yesterday, the 30-year-old admitted he had been in an argument.

He said he pushed Mrs Doyle's daughter, Hayley, at the start of the dispute, but denied assaulting the widow when she became involved in the dispute.

He said: "All I heard was her say 'how lad' and saw her coming towards us with a tab in her hand.

"I put my hands out and I looked at the floor and all I could see was her feet tipping back."

Coroner Andrew Tweddle asked Mr Briggs if he had pushed the former lollipop lady or felt threatened by her.

Mr Briggs replied: "No." Hayley Doyle, 28, told the inquest she had seen Mr Briggs push her mum.

But the inquest heard the action she described did not tally with the injuries she had sustained.

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nail, who led the inquiry, said Durham Police were unable to establish if Mrs Doyle had been pushed or if she had simply fallen.

He said the only independent witnesses, who claimed they saw a push, were two 11-year-old girls who were 60ft away.

Det Chief Insp Nail said he sent the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) three times. But it was repeatedly quashed for lack of evidence.

The coroner said he had considered sending the case back to the CPS, yet the inquest had brought no new evidence to light there was no point.

Mr Tweddle said: "I cannot rule any other verdict than an open verdict.

"She has not died of natural causes, there's no evidence to suggest it was the result of an accident and there's no evidence it was the result of an unlawful act."

Speaking outside the court, Hayley said: "We were disappointed at the time when the CPS decided not to prosecute.

"We have just got to move on with our lives.

"Mam wouldn't want anything different."