Mary Bennett

Mary Bennett was knocked down by a car at about 11pm on Thursday 9 December 1948.

She had lived at 6 Ursula Street in Bootle.

She had been crossing the road near the junction of Hawthorne Road and Bedford Road with her husband at about midnight when they were both hit by a dark saloon car.

They were both taken to Walton Hospital, but Mary Bennett died early the following day, Friday 10 December 1948, from head injuries.

The police said that they knew that after they were knocked down that the car stopped about 40 yards along the road and that a young woman with blonde hair stepped out and looked around. However, she then got back into the car and the car drove off in the direction of Liverpool. The police said that they thought that the offside of the car had been damaged.

A woman that lived in Ursula Street in Bootle, said that she had been in Hawthorne Road, at about 11pm when she heard a thud and then saw a car pull up in front of her near to where Mary Bennett was lying in the street. She said that a man got out of the car but that when she spoke to him, he got back in and drove off. She said that she then stopped another car and told the driver that Mary Bennett had been hurt and pointed to the first car and said, 'There they go. Chase after them'. The driver of the second car said that he did his best to follow the first car but lost sight of it.

When the coroner summed up at the inquest on 19 January 1949, he said, 'The occupants of the first car were undoubtedly aware that something had happened. Extensive inquiries are being continued by the police'.

An open verdict was returned.