TV presenter Phil Spencer’s mother had ‘lapse in concentration’ that led to fatal car crash

Television presenter Phil Spencer’s mother had a “lapse in concentration” before the car crash which killed her and her husband, an inquest has heard. Richard Spencer, 89, known as David, and Anne Spencer, 82, were driving to lunch when their car tipped over the edge of a bridge and plunged into a river in Littlebourne, Kent, on Aug 18. The couple, who were farmers, were submerged in around 3ft of water and were later pronounced dead at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

‘Tragic circumstances’

At Oakwood House in Maidstone on Tuesday, area coroner for north-east Kent, Sarah Clarke, said: “These circumstances are some of the most tragic I have heard.”

She said Mrs Spencer was driving and the couple were “chatting when the car veered very slightly to the offside” and the vehicle overturned in the Nailbourne river. Their full-time carer, who was travelling in the back seat of the car, was able to escape and call for help. The inquest heard that the couple were already unconscious when other people from the farm arrived to assist and tried to resuscitate them.

Location, Location, Location presenter Phil Spencer pictured with his late mother Anne

A police report read at the inquest said it was a “most tragic incident” and that, despite Mrs Spencer being familiar with the road, a momentary lapse in concentration had caused the car to slip.

It said the bridge was primarily used as access for those residing and working on the farm, where Mr and Mrs Spencer had lived and worked their whole adult lives. The bridge was described as needing a “great deal of care as it’s extremely narrow” and has “limited visibility” for the driver, but the police added that the family had said Mrs Spencer had no issues with her driving. Ms Clarke had previously said paramedics arrived at around 12.57pm and took the Spencers to the hospital.

She said Mr Spencer died from a lung injury called aspiration pneumonitis due to near drowning. Mrs Spencer died from aspiration pneumonia, a hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury, and near drowning.

It was ‘what God had planned for them’

Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, while aspiration pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by inhaling food or liquid. Phil Spencer paid tribute to his “amazing parents” following their deaths and said the incident was “what God had planned for them” so they could stay together after six decades of marriage and four children.

The Location, Location, Location presenter said at the time: “As a family, we are all trying to hold on to the fact Mum and Dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one, which is a blessing in itself.

“Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch), Mum’s Parkinson’s and Dad’s dementia had been worsening and the long-term future was set to be a challenge.

“So much so that Mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking ‘Now it looks like we will probably go together’ – and so they did.”