Couple killed returning from anniversary trip to Cromer
Raymond Mullen, 78, and his wife Lorraine, 77, died following the collision on the A17 in Norfolk on July 24 last year. They had been driving home to Warminster, Wiltshire from a short break in Cromer on the north Norfolk coast ahead of their 59th wedding anniversary. Retired military officer Mr Mullen missed a turning as the couple made their way home and pulled into a lay-by to turn around.
Their grey Mercedes GLC then performed a U-turn without signalling and pulled directly into the path of a white Volvo articulated HGV, Norfolk Coroner's Court heard. 
Dashcam footage from the lorry showed it travelling at around 56mph as it approached the lay-by where the Mercedes was stationary with brake lights illuminated. Footage - which was not shown to the court - captured the car as it pulled out just one second before impact, leaving the lorry driver no time to take evasive action. Robin Vaughan, the driver of the HGV, told the inquest he had been driving towards Long Sutton and had come around a bend when the car suddenly pulled out in front of him.
"He just pulled out of the lay-by doing a U-turn," he said. "I didn't have time to blow my horn or do anything." 
Describing the impact on his life, he said in a statement: "It's like you're suddenly part of this macabre club." A learner driver, Sky-Blue Jenkins, who was on a lesson at the time, also gave evidence. She said she saw the lorry as they approached a bend.
"It was coming towards me on the other side of the road and then there was just a sudden flash of silver that came in front of it," she said. She pulled over and described seeing someone run across the road towards nearby trees in an attempt to help, and said the lorry driver appeared to be in shock when he exited the cab. Emergency services were called at 10.05am and arrived within minutes.
Despite their efforts, the couple were pronounced dead at the scene less than 15 minutes later. Post-mortem examinations found Mr Mullen died from multiple traumatic injuries and Mrs Mullen from a fractured skull, both as a result of the collision. The inquest heard that Mr Mullen had previously been told not to drive after eye tests showed his vision did not meet legal driving standards while he was awaiting cataract surgery.
Medical records showed he underwent cataract surgery on his left eye in February 2024 and his right eye in May 2024. He only returned to driving after the procedures were completed and he had been given the all-clear to do so. His daughter Julie Paget told the court her father had not driven for more than a year before resuming driving following surgery and said she was "categorical" that he would never have deliberately pulled out in front of another vehicle.
She said her parents had been happily married for 59 years and were looking forward to celebrating their anniversary together. Police investigators told the court there were no mechanical defects with either vehicle, no issues with the road surface and no evidence that speed, alcohol or medication played any part in the collision. Summing up, area coroner Christopher Leach said Mr Mullen had either not seen the oncoming HGV or had misjudged the time available to complete the U-turn manoeuvre.
He added that it was a question that would "sadly remain unanswered".
He recorded both deaths as resulting from a road traffic collision and offered his sincere condolences to the family.