Popular Wimblington businesswoman had been drink-driving before fatal crash, inquest hears

A popular Wimblington businesswoman who died when her Jaguar car crashed upside down in a ditch of cold water had been drink-driving, a coroner has found.

Melanie Gowler, outside catering manager at Skylark Garden Centre & Cafe in the village, was returning from a family birthday party nearby to her home at Skylark Farm, Manea Road, in the early hours of September 29 last year, an inquest heard today.

The 47-year-old had been on a track which was not on her route home, but investigators were unable to explain why.

Her vehicle left the road and entered a water-filled ditch “for reasons that could not be established”.

Mrs Gowler’s car sent an automated notice of collision, alerting police at 4.25am. Officers rushed to the scene, locating the car upside down in the ditch and largely submerged in water, Huntingdon Coroner’s Court heard.

Many paid tribute to Mrs Gowler after her death, describing her as a “beautiful person” and a “lovely lady”. The garden centre closed on the day of her funeral as a mark of respect and love.

Caroline Jones, area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “Melanie was found unresponsive and trapped in the vehicle.

“Further emergency services attended, and fire crews were able to remove her from the vehicle. Medical crews provided advanced life support at the scene and, after about 35 minutes, were able to restart her heart.”

She was taken to Peterborough City Hospital, where she was found to have multiple injuries and to be hypothermic, Ms Jones explained.

Despite substantial medical treatment, her condition deteriorated, and she died shortly after 12pm on that day.

Concluding the inquest, Ms Jones stated: “Police forensic investigations were able to exclude speed, vehicle defects and third party involvement as contributory factors to the accident, but could not establish why Melanie had been on the particular track at the time, which was not on her route home.

“Post-mortem toxicological analysis showed that Melanie had consumed alcohol prior to her death at levels in excess of the drink-drive limit, which may have contributed to some impairment in her driving.”

The coroner said Mrs Gowler’s medical cause of death was “immersion in cold water” and ruled her death was an “accident”.

Mrs Gowler, whose maiden name was Boas, was born in Market Harborough and was married to Skylark owner Edward Gowler. They had four children together.