A mother-of-three who stopped to help a stranded motorist was mowed down and killed by a world-leading cellist after his car skidded on ice, an inquest heard. 

Natalie Mountford, 45, was thrown 30ft into the air and died at scene of the crash near Sturminster Newton, Dorset, on December 18, 2022. 

Cellist Adrian Brendel, a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music, lost control of his car on ice as he made his way home from a concert in Oxford in the early hours of the morning.  

The 48-year-old, who has performed at the BBC Proms, swerved towards the verge to avoid two cars blocking the road ahead but instead collided with Ms Mountford.

The mother-of-three had just pulled over to help a young woman after her car had skidded into a hedge.

Natalie Mountford, 45, (pictured) was thrown 30ft into the air and died at scene of the crash near Sturminster Newton, Dorset, on December 18, 2022

Cellist Adrian Brendel (pictured), a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music, lost control of his car on ice as he made his way home from a concert in Oxford

The B3091 near Sturminster Newton where Ms Mountford was hit

Mr Brendel, the son of Alfred Brendel – one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century – said he had braked as soon as he saw the two cars but was unable to stop his Citroen Berlingo due to the icy conditions.

An inquest into Ms Mountford’s death heard that the police found no evidence of any wrongdoing on Mr Brendel’s part and her death was a tragic accident.

Mr Brendel told Ms Mountford’s family he was ‘personally devastated and traumatised’ by the incident and offered them his sincerest condolences.

But they allege Mr Brendel had been driving without due care and attention at the time of the crash and plan to pursue a civil case against him.

In a statement, the family said: ‘Natalie had just under three minutes to live the final part of her life on arrival. 

‘As normal, she spent 100 per cent of that time caring for others – her greatest trait would also be her downfall.

‘We don’t understand how every car travelling that night stopped in the accident vicinity but Mr Brendel’s was a further 60 metres on. Only speed can make this happen.’

Mr Brendel has performed extensively throughout the UK and abroad as a chamber musician and a soloist. 

His performances include at the Berlin Philharmonie, Teatro Colon in Buenes Aires and as part of the BBC Proms. He is also a member of the award-winning Nash Ensemble.

Mr Brendel had been driving to his £2.5m home in the village of East Orchard, Dorset, having performed at the Oxford Chamber Music Festival on a freezing night.

Minutes earlier a Vauxhall Corsa driven by Charley Mack skidded on ice on the B3091. It crashed into a hedge and rebounded into the carriageway.

The mother-of-three had just pulled over to help Charley Mack (pictured) after her car had skidded into a hedge

Miss Mack said she had dropped friends off in Shaftesbury and was heading back to Sturminster Newton

Ms Mountford managed to stop her car safely and got out to help Miss Mack. 

She put the younger driver in the back of her car and walked towards the safety of the verge.

Mr Brendel said: ‘As I got over the brow of the hill, I saw the car across the right hand lane.

‘I then saw another car parked on that slope. It wasn’t completely obvious if it was on the kerb or the lane.

‘When I saw the first car I knew something had happened and I needed to come to a stop so I started slowing down, braking.

‘I expected to come to a stop before the car in the left hand lane. As I braked again my car lost traction and started planing down the ice.

‘I realised in that moment I was unlikely to be able to stop before colliding with the car in front. I realised I had to get the car off the road.

‘In my memory both the lanes were blocked so I tried to get the car off to the left, that was my only option. I thought the kerb was free, I hadn’t seen anyone there. My foot was on the brake the entire time.

‘I was desperate to try and get some control back, as I got back onto the road and tried to right the car I saw a silhouette of Ms Mountford.

‘It was instantaneous, the first time I saw her was right at the collision.’

Miss Mack said she had dropped friends off in Shaftesbury and was heading back to Sturminster Newton.

She was doing about 40mph on the 60mph road because of the danger of ice.

She said: ‘I remember hitting the hedge and then coming back out from the impact. I hit my head a little bit.’

Shortly after, Ms Mountford arrived and stopped to help.

Miss Mack added: ‘I thought the same thing was going to happen to that car but she stopped perfectly.

‘She said something like “I knew this would happen, the road’s awful, it’s happened before”. She said it’s going to be okay and gave me a hug.

‘I was freezing. She said “you need to warm up, come and sit in my car”.

‘I could hear another car coming but I was a bit more relaxed because she had managed to stop so I thought I’m sure the other car will manage.

‘As she walked round the front of her own car, the next thing I really saw was headlights to the left of me flying down the road. It hit her and she literally went flying.

‘I saw her land quite near my car and slump over on her chest. I just sat there for five seconds in disbelief. I was waiting for her to get up and she didn’t.’

When PC Nicholas May, of Dorset Police, arrived on the scene his vehicle also skidded on the ice. He told the coroner it was difficult to come to a stop.

Bournemouth Town Hall where the inquest took place after the tragic crash in Dorset in December 2022

Sergeant Geraint Butler, from the serious collision investigation team, said: ‘This was an incredibly tragic accident. 

‘We have got no evidence to say the manner of driving of Mr Brendel is either dangerous or careless.’

He said Mr Brendel would have been faced with either a difficult chicane created by the other two cars, or to go on the inside verge around Ms Mountford’s vehicle.

Maddison Mountford, 18, described it as the day her family’s life changed forever, with her and her younger siblings being separated as they moved to Staffordshire to be with their dad and she lived in Hampshire.

She said: ‘Mum would go out of her way to help others and stop others being hurt, but that’s what cost her her life.

‘She died in the most her way possible, which gives me a degree of comfort.’

Coroner Brendan Allen ruled Ms Mountford died as a result of a road traffic collision.

He said he was ‘concerned’ about the number of collisions there had been on that section of road and would be writing a prevention of future deaths report with actions for Dorset Council and Wessex Water, who had been investigating a leak in a pipe that crossed under the road.