A MOTORIST has been cleared of causing a pensioner’s death.

At Bolton Crown Court, Dorothy Shelmerdine was due to stand trial for causing the death of 82-year-old Paul Broderick by careless driving.

But, before a jury could be sworn in, Mark Kellet, on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, offered no evidence against 43-year-old Miss Shelmerdine, of Kemble Close, Horwich, and she was formally found not guilty.

Mr Broderick was crossing Green Lane, Horwich, just after 2pm on December 4, 2016, when he was involved in a collision with Miss Shelmerdine’s white Ford Focus near the junction with Carr Road.

He was taken to hospital with head injuries, but died three days later.

The pensioner, a widowed father-of-one, was well known in the community and enjoyed keeping himself fit and

active.

A keen dominoes player, every Tuesday he would play at the The Bowling Green pub.

Landlady Susan Stewart paid tribute to him at the time.

“He came in every week and was a really lovely man,” she said.

“It is very sad, we are so shocked and the bar staff who work on a Tuesday when Paul is in are gutted.

“He would have fun banter with the staff.

“He will be missed.

"He would always have a pint and then take a sneaky drink from his hip flask, even though he was told he wasn’t supposed

to.

“He was so well known and so many tributes have been paid to him on Facebook.”

Following the collision, police appealed for anyone who saw the collision, or had dash-cam footage, to get in touch with them.