A LORRY driver whose 39-tonne vehicle overturned onto a car, killing the woman driver, has been cleared of death by dangerous driving.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court cleared Brian Kynaston of causing East Lancashire woman Valerie Taylor's death after a five-day trial.

They were unable to agree a verdict on the lesser alternative charge of careless driving and this has been dropped.

During the week-long trial the jury of five men and seven women heard that the tragedy happened at the Rocket interchange at the end of the M62 in Liverpool on the morning of November 1 last year.

Mr Kynaston, of Oswestry, was driving his vehicle, laden with scrap fridges and cars, towards the dock at Bootle. As he went around a right hand bend under the flyover his vehicle overturned onto a Peugeot 306 on his left hand side.

The driver, 63-year-old Valerie Taylor, of Haslingden Old Road, Rawtenstall, and her partner, Jimmy Derbyshire, 59, were trapped in the wreckage, Ms Taylor, formerly a lecturer at Accrington and Rossendale College, was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Derbyshire escaped unhurt. However, he drowned in a stream behind their home in March this year.

After the jury returned their verdict following almost five hours deliberations Mr Kynaston said outside court: "My over-riding feeling is one of sympathy for the family of Valerie Taylor and this has been the case for the past 12 months.

"I am, however, relieved that the case is now over and hopefully we can all now try and get some normality back into our lives following this tragedy."

In a statement the family and friends of Ms Taylor and Mr Derbyshire, said "Today has been the culmination of a harrowing week and a very sad and difficult year.

"Jimmy survived the road traffic accident but has since died. We all agree that the hearing has been thorough and fair and that the outcome reflects the democratic judicial process.

"We would like to thank the many witnesses who voluntarily came forward and re-lived that terrible day.

"Our thoughts and prayers will always be with Valerie and James.

"They both live on in the memories of all who knew them. "

Mr Kynaston, 42, of Dingley Dell, Oswestry, had denied taking the bend too fast and going through the traffic lights when they were changing against him.