AN American family holiday in the Cotswolds ended in tragedy when their hire car ran over the wife after her husband failed to park it securely, an inquest heard.

Jianhua Qin, a 55 year old realtor (estate agent) from Cary, North Carolina, was crushed to death under the wheel of Nissan X-Trail car when it rolled over her after they stopped at a beauty spot near Chipping Campden, Glos, to take photographs.

Mrs Qin, her husband Li You and their son had arrived in England on June 26 and collected a rental car in Bath, the inquest in Gloucester was told.

The next day they drove to the North Cotswolds.

In a statement, Li You, who did not attend the inquest, said when he hired the rental car he was asked if he had ever driven a push-start car before and he replied that he had.

He said he was used to driving automatics in America and never used the handbrake because it was 'not normal to do so' in the States.

After spending the day in Stow on the Wold, the weather became overcast, making it difficult to enjoy the views, so the family drove to Chipping Campden, he stated.

He said he took a side road up a hill at Buckle Lane, Saintbury, to look for a high point to take some photos. He saw an opening and turned left onto a sloping patch of ground and stopped.

He pushed the gear stick up believing the car was then in 'park,' he stated. His son Corey got out of the front passenger side and his wife got out the back seat where she had been sitting.

He said he could not be sure whether she got out before or after him.

He turned the engine off and took his foot off the brake pedal and the car started moving slightly so he jumped back into the driver's seat and pushed it back into 'park' but the car was still moving, he stated.

He heard his wife yelling so knew something was happening and shouted to his son 'Come over, ma-ma in trouble."

His statement continued "I heard my son say 'Oh gosh. no'. I couldn't stop the car and it continued to roll. I pushed my foot on the brake but nothing happened. i think it was because the engine wasn't running."

He could not see his wife but heard her yelling as he desperately tried to stop the car, looking at all the controls and the gear selector. When the car finally stopped his wife was under the front right driver's wheel, he stated.

He tried to get his wife out but she was stuck so he told his son to call '911,' he said. He described himself as being in "total panic" at that point.

"I told her to hold on and we would get her out. I kept saying 'Don't give up,'" he said.

Two men who were driving past stopped and helped jack the car up to free Mrs Qin out but by then her face was purple and there was no sign of life, her husband stated.

He said he believed he had moved the gear stick but obviously not into the right position otherwise the tragedy would not have happened.

Gloucestershire police collision investigator PC David Langridge said the rental car was in perfect order but it appeared the driver had not put the car properly into park mode and without the handbrake applied as well the car started to roll.

Assistant Gloucestershire coroner Caroline Saunders asked PC Langridge if the car would have rolled had either the handbrake been properly applied or the gear stick been put correctly into park and he said it would not.

"It appears he started to get out and after taking his foot off the brake he realised the car was rolling. He attempted to regain control but failed to do so," said the officer.

PC Langridge said a scuff mark with a long black hair on it was found on the side of the car, suggesting that Mrs Qin had tried to stop the car from moving but it caught her and knocked her down and she hit her head and ending up underneath the wheel.

There was a hand mark on the side of the car which could have come from Mrs Qin but it had not been possible to confirm definitively that it was hers, he said.

The assistant coroner called Mrs Qin's actions a "fatal mistake."

"Mrs Qin tried to manually stop the moving car but was unable to do so and she became trapped underneath." said Mrs Saunders.

"Her husband believed he had put the car into 'park' mode but he had not done so, nor was the handbrake engaged."

Mrs Saunders recorded a conclusion of accidental death saying "Mrs Qin sustained massive internal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The post mortem confirmed her extensive and the catastrophic nature of her injuries."

Numerous tributes were paid to Mrs Qin on an American funeral website after her death.

Randall Koonce wrote "Jan was an awesome lady who always treated everyone as one of her family. I am honored to have such a wonderful friend. She was also the best realtor that i have ever met. May God Bless her family!"

Theresa Braswell said "It's so hard to believe she's gone. She was little in stature but big in personality and character. I'm going to miss her so much. I have so many memories of her and good times we shared. My heart is heavy as I'm thinking and praying for her boys and husband. Love you and miss you Jan."

And Steven Harris stated "Jan was an amazing person. I met her thru some of her IT work friends when she became a realtor. She helped to get me my home . She was fun and so full of life but also one of the smartest people I have ever met in the business world.

"I am very saddened to her of her accident and could never imagine the devastation it is for her family. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, whom she always spoke of to everyone."