A mum-of-two died after being struck by a lorry while walking on the A47 in the early hours, an inquest heard.

Emma Constable, 30, from Dereham, was in the westbound carriageway near the Swanton Morley junction, when she was struck shortly before 1.30am on October 21 last year.

Despite efforts to save her life, Miss Constable was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident having suffered multiple injuries.

On the night of her death she had messaged friends who had tried to discourage her from her plans to walk along the A47 to hospital in Norwich, an inquest was told.

The hearing at Norfolk Coroner’s Court on Monday heard she had previously been treated for anxiety and depression.

At the time of her death she had high levels of alcohol in her system which may have impaired her judgement.

Examination of her social media content indicated she was struggling with issues and she’d “had a challenging day”, said Andrew Hughes, lead investigation officer with the serious accident investigation unit at Norfolk Constabulary.

He said prior to the collision Miss Constable had been seen by passing motorists on the dual carriageway.

The HGV driver involved in the accident had been travelling towards King’s Lynn when he heard “an almighty bang”.

He had retraced his steps and discovered Miss Constable lying in the road.

Mr Hughes said there was “nothing he could have done” to have avoided the collision and that he had not faced any charges.

Following her death hundreds of heartfelt messages were left in memory of Miss Constable who left behind two daughters, Skye and Crystal, while dozens of well-wishers lined the streets of Dereham for her funeral.

In a statement her mother Jo Constable told the inquest she had been a “great mother who would do anything for her girls” and that she had been making plans for her future.

Recording a conclusion that she died as the result of a road traffic collision, assistant coroner Catherine Wood said: “We have heard evidence about messages to friends that evening which suggested she had had something to drink and was going out and had decided to walk from Dereham to Norwich.

“Unfortunately that led her sadly and tragically into the path of a lorry whose driver simply didn’t see her in his path.”