A 24-YEAR-old Sankey Bridges woman died alongside her boyfriend in a sand dune buggy crash in Qatar in what was described as a ‘tragic accident’ by the coroner at an inquest yesterday, Wednesday.

Teacher Charlotte Sant, who studied at Penketh High School and Priestley College before going to work in the city of Doha with her boyfriend Eamonn Morgan, died on June 27, 2015.

Warrington Coroner’s Court heard how Charlotte’s friends, Nicola Fletcher and Holly Smith, had travelled to Qatar to visit.

Ms Fletcher told the court that on June 26 the girls had been food shopping, sitting around the pool and had a couple of drinks with friends.

The next day along with Mr Morgan the girls had travelled to Siline to drive a buggy across the dunes, something the couple had done before.

Ms Fletcher said the group had no safety briefing but they all wore seatbelts in the buggy and although they were offered helmets they decided not to use them.

She said: “It was time to head back and I said I would have another go. 

“We headed up a dune and it just looked flat on top like the others. It was just a sheer drop. We didn’t know what was happening until it had happened.

“I was in control, my foot wasn’t on the floor. We just went off the edge.”

Mr Morgan and Ms Sant were sat in the back seats.

Ms Fletcher said she was ‘in a bad way’ but found Eamonn’s phone on the floor and used it to call for help.

She added: “I didn’t see them in the back, I heard Holly next to me. It is just all hazy.”

Ms Smith told the court: “Charlotte and Eamonn had used buggies before and nothing ever happened. We said no to the helmets – it was a case of a quick decision but a silly one.

“I remember just looking down and seeing all the sand. I think the buggy must have rolled. I woke up in hospital, I don’t remember anything just after the incident. I don’t understand, I thought the front would get the impact.”

Coroner Alan Moore said: “There was no way that it could have been anticipated. 

“What had been planned as an enjoyable day out with friends ended as a tragic accident.”

He recorded a verdict of death by accident due to multiple injuries.