A Croydon newly-wed was run over and killed moments after leaving her own birthday party, an inquest has heard.

Laura Murray-Woodford fell under the wheels of a three-and-a-half tonne truck as she tried to cross Ludgate Hill, near City Thameslink Station in central London, the hearing was told.

The newly-wed had been celebrating her 32nd birthday in All Bar One when she left to catch a train home just after 10pm.

Before leaving she texted her husband of six months, Ben Kelly-Taylor, to tell him she would be “leaving soon."

Giving a short tribute during the inquest, Mr Taylor said: “She was a beautiful person - a positive energy, very gracious and compassionate.

“We all knew her in our own way and she touched us all and made us better people. I think of every moment I had with her.”

City of London Coroner's Court heard she was walking on the pavement when she turned suddenly to cross the road, but stumbled and fell under the wheels of the oncoming van.

Mr Kelly-Taylor became worried when he didn't hear from his wife for over an hour and called her, only to have a police officer answer her phone and tell him she had been hit by the van.

The inquest heard truck driver truck Edwin Osorio-Mena was slowing down as he drove up the road towards St Paul’s Cathedral, and said he didn’t see Ms Murray-Woodford until just before the fatal collision.

Giving evidence through a Spanish interpreter, he said: “I was going very slow and I heard a bang to the side of the van.

"I thought it was something to do with my mirror.

“If it was something in front of me I would have seen it. If she had been in front of me I could have braked, but I didn’t see her. I just heard a bang and that is why I stopped.

“I thought I had gone over a bag on the road or a box.”

“I was about to accelerate and then I heard a noise of the lady, so I got out and circled the vehicle completely and that’s when I saw her.

“The first time I saw her was when she was on the floor. If I had seen her I swear to God I would have avoided that accident.”

The van was travelling at around 5mph and the driver was not using his mobile phone at the time, the inquest heard.