AN INQUEST has been opened into the death of a 69-year-old woman who was killed after being hit by a lorry in Heckmondwike.

Jean Hepworth, of Liversedge, was involved in a collision with a DAF large goods vehicle on Westgate, near Market Street in Heckmondwike, shortly after 11am last Wednesday.

She had been crossing the road and the HGV had been turning right from Westgate onto Market Street when the tragic incident happened.

Mrs Hepworth was pronounced dead at the scene.

An inquest into her death was opened and adjourned earlier today, held at Bradford Coroner’s Court in front of assistant coroner John Broadbridge.

Tributes were paid last week to the much-loved 69-year-old by a local store manager who was at the scene while emergency services tried to save Mrs Hepworth’s life.

Helen Hilton, who works at nearby Bargain World, described Mrs Hepworth as their “best customer” – “not because she bought stuff but because she had time”.

She said: “Jean came in here every day, every single day, from the day we opened - Monday to Sunday - up until her passing.

“She was just a character, she really was.

“I can’t describe her because you never knew what she was going to say.

“She always said what she wanted but you didn’t mind because of who she was.

“She’d stay in our store for up to three hours and just loved to talk to people.

West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collison and Enquiry Team and been appealing for any witnesses to the collision or what happened prior to it, to contact them.

They also appealed for anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.