A nurse who worked in Winchester died after she swerved to avoid a deer which jumped in front of her car as she was driving to work, an inquest has heard.

Ivory Lapitan was driving along the A33 near Micheldever, Hampshire, at about 6.30am on April 25 when she braked hard to avoid the deer which was in the middle of the road.

The 24-year-old lost control of the car which swerved before crashing into trees bringing one of them down on to the vehicle.

Motorist Patricia Fagan said that Ms Lapitan, from Basingstoke who worked at Royal Hampshire County Hospital was overtaking her on the dual carriageway when she saw the animal in front of both of their cars.

She told the Winchester inquest: "As she got level with me we saw a deer as she pulled in front of me. As I was braking I heard a massive bang, she spun up the road and hit a tree which was another massive bang.

"As I was running towards her the tree came down on top of the car which was another bang. I tried to pull the door open and I was banging on the window, shouting 'Hello'.

"She was just slumped on the passenger door. I thought I could hear her slightly breathing but very shallow, nothing really."

Pathologist Dr Adnan Al-Badri said that Ms Lapitan, who was originally from the Philippines, would have died instantaneously from the serious head injury she suffered in the crash.

PC Steve Wootton, of Hampshire Police, said there was no physical evidence of an impact with the deer, but added: "There is nothing to suggest it wasn't a deer. We couldn't find a deer in the vicinity but even if one is hit they run off and disappear into the trees."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, assistant coroner Sarah Whitby said: "Ivory Lapitan was driving on the A33 towards Winchester when she was distracted by a deer running into the road causing her to brake heavily and collide with a tree. She suffered fatal head injuries and died immediately."

Mary Edwards, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, said: "Ivory was a highly regarded nurse whose loss has been felt hugely by everyone who worked with her. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time."