AN American family holiday in the Cotswolds ended in tragedy when one of them was run over by their hire car, an inquest heard.

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

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

In a statement, Li You, who did not attend the inquest, 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 family drove to Chipping Campden, he stated.

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

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

He heard his wife yelling so knew something was happening.

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."

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

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

He said he believed he had moved the gearstick 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 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 gearstuck 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.

Mrs Saunders recorded a conclusion of accidental death saying: "Mrs Qin sustained massive internal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene."