Woman drove down her own father after forgetting to put car in reverse then ACCELERATING Daughter affected by unintentional acceleration syndrome inquest hears Ernest Kershaw, 86, struck as he headed into club for an afternoon drink Coroner describes cause of freak accident as a 'momentary lapse' An elderly father was knocked down and killed on the steps of his local Royal British Legion club after a driving mistake by his own daughter, an inquest heard. Christine Kershaw, 63 dropped her father Ernest Kershaw, 86, off at the Farnborough, Hampshire club where he was a regular. But after handing her father his walking sticks Miss Kershaw, accidentally put her automatic car into forward instead of reverse gear, and the Kia Sedona people carrier hit Mr Kershaw, propelling him down the steps and into a handrail - he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Royal British Legion club in Farnborough, Hampshire where Mr Kershaw was an afternoon regular North East Hampshire's coroner Andrew Bradley heard how Miss Kershaw had encountered unintended or spontaneous acceleration syndrome where, momentarily and in confusion she had pressed down on the wrong pedal and continued pressing harder. Miss Kershaw, who wiped away tears as she gave evidence at the inquest, said: 'As I got in I realised I had left it in gear. I turned the ignition on and it started to move and hit the top of the steps. I was just trying to get the car away from him The inquest heard how Miss Kershaw had been taking her father to the club every Sunday for around two years. He would arrive at 1pm and would mix with other club members, drinking a shandy and a whisky before being picked up at 3pm. There are two elements to unintentional acceleration syndrome which are acknowledged by psycho-analysts. The first is where the driver makes and error with the foot position of their vehicle. The second is where, as the vehicle accelerates, the driver's initial reaction is to press harder on what they think is the brake. Miss Kershaw added: 'I pulled up (to the steps). I needed to get his sticks for him. 'I jumped out, passed him his sticks, took him to the top of the stairs and took one stick off him because he couldn't manage two with the handrail. I went back to the car because I had to move it. Club member Mathew Walker, who was having a cigarette in the smoking area a few feet away from the incident, also gave evidence at the inquest. He said: 'I heard what sounded like tyres screeching behind me. I turned around to face up the steps and saw a blue car coming down the steps. Ernie was on my right hand side. The car came down and veered slightly to my right and struck Ernie. 'It was very close and I didn't know which way it was going to go and I had to decide which way to jump. I jumped to my left and then the car struck the front of the club. After the accident the engine was still being revved, and the inquest heard how a club member had to shout to shocked Miss Kershaw to turn the engine off. Forensic collision investigator Kevin Spiller was called to the scene and also gave evidence at the inquest. In a 'momentary lapse' Miss Kershaw put her Kia Sedona (like the one pictured) into reverse, then panicked and accelerated into her elderly father He said: 'Unintentional acceleration syndrome, sometimes referred to as spontaneous acceleration syndrome, is an unexpected, inadvertent acceleration - the unintentional pressing of the accelerator instead of the brake or gear.' At the close of the hearing coroner Mr Bradley recorded a verdict that Mr Kershaw's death was accidental. He said: 'Let me first express my sympathy. It is a terrible situation to find yourself in and clearly one that was not intended at all. But it takes just a momentary lapse, that slightest confusion and things happen. 'It is a second's confusion when you believe you have done one thing when in fact you have done another. It is one of those things, but what a consequence. It is very difficult and I'm sure it is very painful.'