A CHARITY stalwart died from a head injury after being struck by a vehicle as she crossed a major Bradford road.

An inquest into the death of June Martin, 62, from Denholme, was opened at Bradford Coroners’ Court yesterday morning.

During the brief hearing, Assistant Coroner Oliver Longstaff confirmed Mrs Martin died at 6.25pm on November 14 after being struck by a vehicle as she crossed Wakefield Road.

A post-mortem has taken place and the full report is awaited, but Mr Longstaff said the cause of death had been determined as a head injury due to a road traffic collision.

At the time, police said the driver of the Astra, a man in thirties, had been spoken to by officers.

A date for full inquest hearing is yet to be fixed.

This week, friends and fellow villagers in Denholme, where the mother-of-seven had lived for two decades, were still struggling to come to terms with her death.

Mrs Martin set up the Mpika Village of Hope charity, formerly the Mpika Relief Fund, 15 years ago to support orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia.

Since then, thousands of pounds have been raised and countless young lives transformed.

One of June’s daughters, Gillian Matley, told the Telegraph & Argus that Mrs Martin’s favourite phrase was “love conquers all” and she gave huge support to homeless charities, asylum-seekers and refugees.

Anne Sherriff, leader of Denholme Town Council, described June as “one of Denholme’s most loved and respected villagers”.

She added: “The town council, along with the rest of our community, was saddened and shocked to learn of her tragic death.

“June was well known and admired for her tireless work to change the lives of children in northern Zambia.

“Her generosity reached across oceans and made the world a smaller place.

“It will be a lesser place for her passing.

“June will be remembered both here in her home village of Denholme and in Mpika, the Village of Hope which meant so much to her.

“Her legacy will be rooted in the continued work of the charity which was her passion, and in the futures of the children whose lives she touched from over seven thousand miles away.”

The town council is donating £50 to the charity in her memory.

Brian Newham, a trustee of the Mpika Village of Hope, said news of June’s death had come as a “terrible shock”.

“She was my best friend,” said Brian, who lives in Denholme and had known Mrs Martin for about 18 years.

“I’m still struggling now to believe that she’s gone.

“She was a wonderful person and we shared a lot of good times.

“It was through June that I became involved in Mpika.”

The charity has shops in Denholme and Queensbury, and used to have one in Lawkholme Lane, Keighley.