Science teacher, 39, drowned when her BMW hit pool of water and flipped into river – minutes after phoning school to say she was running late to pick up her child, inquest hears

• Emma Fegan, 39, was involved in a crash near the village of Hoveringham, Notts
• After hitting a pool of standing water, her BMW flipped into nearby River Trent
• Her death was ruled as a result of drowning following a single vehicle crash
• She worked at The Dukeries Academy for 17 years and was a science teacher 

A science teacher who was running late to pick her child up from school died after her car hit a pool of standing water and flipped into a nearby river, an inquest heard.

Mother-of-two Emma Fegan, 39, telephoned her child’s school to say she was running late then set off in ‘atrocious’ weather to collect the youngster.

But minutes later the BMW she was driving was involved in an accident on a notoriously dangerous stretch of a country lane near the village of Hoveringham, Notts, which runs alongside the River Trent.

No one witnessed the crash, on September 27 last year, but two workmen later spotted the vehicle upside down in the river and dialled 999 for help.

However, despite efforts to resuscitate Ms Fegan, who lived nearby in Hoveringham, she was later pronounced dead.  

Mother-of-two Emma Fegan (pictured) telephoned her child’s school to say she was running late then set off in ‘atrocious’ weather to collect the youngster minutes before she was involved in a crash

Her inquest heard Ms Fegan, who led the science department at The Dukeries Academy in New Ollerton, Notts, had excess alcohol in her system.

But the coroner said the results may have been affected by ‘treatments administered’ after she arrived at hospital.

A driver who saw her BMW travelling in the opposite direction on the 60mph road minutes before the crash said the vehicle was driving ‘too fast’ for the conditions.

However the inquest was told there was no forensic evidence to say the precise speed at the point the BMW hit the standing water and lost control. 

Ms Fegan’s death was ruled as as a result of drowning following a ‘single vehicle road traffic accident’. 

The inquest heard how two workmen who spotted the vehicle upside down in the river dialled 999 at around 3.45pm that day.

One person at the scene told police they ‘were hoping that someone who was inside the car was caught in an air bubble’.

The BMW Ms Fegan was driving was involved in an accident on a stretch of a country lane near the village of Hoveringham (pictured), Notts, which runs alongside the River Trent

A rescue operation was mounted and the teacher was dragged from the vehicle and taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, but the attempts to save her were unsuccessful. 

Joanne Connors, who lives nearby, said she had driven down the road earlier that afternoon, but went back another way because the flooding was ‘quite severe’.

She told Nottinghamshire Assistant Coroner Jonathan Straw: ‘It’s not a busy road but, you know, it’s quite seasonal; if the weather is good everybody drove there. The weather was atrocious that day’.

School bus driver Tomasz Branski told the court ‘there’s always a problem’ along the stretch of road.

He was shown photographs by the coroner of an area at an entrance to a farm which showed standing water.

He said: ‘When it’s raining, sometimes the water is as deep as up to knee-level’.

Mr Branski said was travelling towards the village of Caythorpe with children on board and had just approached a right hand bend when a black BMW came around the bend in the opposite direction.

The coroner asked him: ‘Relative to the weather conditions, how would you say it was being driven?’

Mr Branski said: ‘It was definitely too fast’, adding he had to move towards the verge ‘so I would not be hit by the vehicle’. 

Mrs Fegan had worked at The Dukeries Academy for 17 years she was a much respected member of staff.

Mrs Fegan had worked at The Dukeries Academy (pictured) for 17 years and was a much respected member of staff

One online tribute from a former pupil described her as an ‘uplifting’ teacher.

‘I hope her family find comfort that she has shaped the minds of many kids turning into young adults, and with that she has touched the hearts of so many,’ it added.  

Claire Leitheiser, the principal, said Mrs Fegan would be ‘sorely missed’ by all those at the school.

She said: ‘Emma was a member of The Dukeries Academy community for 17 years where she was a beloved friend and colleague. 

‘Emma led the science department with a determination to provide all students with the best experience of science possible. 

‘She was a teacher who was well-respected by staff and students alike, and she was instrumental in supporting our young people in achieving their ambitions for the future. 

‘Emma will be sorely missed by all at The Dukeries Academy. Our sincerest condolences go to her family and friends.’ 

A petition set up after Mrs Fegan’s death calling for crash barriers along Hoveringham Road to help stop vehicles entering the river has been signed by more than 5,000 people.

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