A COUPLE who were married for more than 50 years were killed when their car left the A14 and crashed into a service station sign, an inquest heard.David and Marjorie Smith, both 75, from Chestnut Avenue, Bradwell, were driving to visit their daughter, son-in-law and grandson in Hertfordshire on Easter Monday.

A COUPLE who were married for more than 50 years were killed when their car left the A14 and crashed into a service station sign, an inquest heard.

David and Marjorie Smith, both 75, from Chestnut Avenue, Bradwell, were driving to visit their daughter, son-in-law and grandson in Hertfordshire on Easter Monday.

An inquest in Bury St Edmunds yesterday heard that for an “unknown reason” their Hyundai, driven by Mr Smith, entered the slip road at the Rowley Mile BP garage near Newmarket. The car then hit a kerb and was flung into the air before crashing into a service station sign.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident which happened at about 2.35pm.

Greater Suffolk coroner Dr Peter Dean said: “The police officer investigating the accident scene said the weather was fine, the road was dry and it was daylight at the time of the accident.

“For an unknown reason Mr Smith came off the slip road and collided with the service station sign causing fatal injuries to both.”

He said witnesses to the accident did not see the couple's car indicate or use its brake lights before leaving the A14.

The inquest heard there was no positive evidence of any medical condition taking place before the accident but it could not be ruled out.

A post mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple injuries.

Dr Dean said the only appropriate verdict was accidental death.