A VET crushed to death by a quad bike after it drifted off a farm track could have been ill before the crash.

An inquest into the death of Rachel Andrews, known as Louise, who was trapped under a quad bike at New Hall Farm, in Little Wigborough, heard she had been diagnosed with anaemia after an operation, while a post-mortem examination found signs of heart disease.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded at the Chelmsford inquest yesterday.

Miss Andrews, a self-employed fish vet, was riding the Kawasaki agricultural Mule along a track when it left the road and crashed.

The post-mortem found she died from multiple injuries after it landed on top of her.

Pathologists also found signs of heart disease, which Essex assistant deputy coroner Tina Harrington said may have contributed to the accident in June last year.

Fish farm owner John Sawdon said Miss Andrews, 37, of Gurton Road, Coggeshall, had worked for him for a year, inspecting his ponds for the quality of water.

He said the day she died she had been at the farm for more than an hour and had passed him on the track and waved.

He said at 5.15pm she phoned and said she would be another half an hour.

But he went in search of her when she failed to return.

He found her in a ditch at the side of a track trapped under the quad bike.

Richard Andrews said his daughter had been advised not to drive after an operation to remove a fibroid a month earlier.

He said she had also been diagnosed with anaemia as a result of the operation.

He added: “I really was concerned the operation she had previously was having more of an effect than she liked to admit.

“She was in hospital for three days.

“I stayed with her for two or three nights.

“At that time she wasn’t feeling up to driving. She had anaemia as a result. I just felt that was significant.”

Mr Sawdon said Miss Andrews had complained of feeling dizzy two weeks before the crash, but seemed fine on the day she died.

He added: “She was on what I can only describe as top form really.”

Kevin Carter, a police investigating officer, said he had found no faults with the quad bike.

He added marks left at the scene suggested it had slowly rolled off the road before overturning.

Mrs Harrington said: “She appears to have had some health issues. On the balance of probability, this was an accident.

“Louise was thrown from her vehicle, trapped by it and died of multiple injuries.”

After the hearing Mr Andrews said it was the verdict the family had expected.

He added: “It’s difficult to say why it happened at that point with Louise.

“A month previously she had been advised not to drive. However, she played squash and her health had been pretty good.”