A CLEVEDON pensioner ran over and killed a grandmother after falling asleep at the wheel of his car.

Terence Whitfield was driving his Vauxhall Zafira along Northern Way in Clevedon when his car crossed the central white line and hit Pauline Grubb, who was walking her dog Maisie on the opposite pavement.

Whitfield, aged 78 of Newlands Green, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Monday when he pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

He was given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, and was also disqualified from driving for five years.

He had previously pleaded not guilty at a hearing at North Somerset Courthouse in October but later changed his plea.

On February 18 last year, Whitfield had driven into Bristol with his wife to visit their daughter. The collision happened in Northern Way at about 3.30pm when they were driving home.

Witnesses reported seeing Whitfield’s car strike Mrs Grubb, throwing her into the air, before the car came to a stop back on the road.

The road was closed for some time while emergency services attended the scene but Mrs Grubb died of her injuries.

The 63-year-old mum-of-two had taken the route she regularly followed for Maisie’s daily walks from her Kingston Avenue home, which she shared with her husband John.

Following her death she was described by her close friend, Diane Taylor, as ‘a loving wife, mother and grandma who also found time to give back to the town that she loved’.

Mrs Grubb was well-known for her involvement in many aspects of the Clevedon community.

She worked for 25 years with the 13th Clevedon Brownies, arranged flowers for All Saints Church, was a member of The Stragglers skittles team and previously worked as a dinner lady at Yeo Moor School and in the bakery of Safeway and Morrisons.