A SOUTHAMPTON mum died in a tragic snowmobile accident while on a family holiday in a French skiing resort.

Sharon Stacey was left with fatal injuries when the skidoo she was driving collided with a metal pole in the popular resort of Avoriaz.

The 35-year-old mum-of-one is the second Hampshire woman to die in a snowmobile accident in the French Alps in just over a year.

An inquest at Bournemouth Coroner's Court heard that Mrs Stacey, her husband Douglas and her eight-year-old son Kalon had booked an excursion with company Snow Range, which took groups of holidaymakers on guided snowmobile trips.

The court was told that Mrs Stacey rode the snowmobile solo while her husband and son rode together.

Other members of the party observed that Mrs Stacey was going much slower than everybody else shortly before the accident near a tunnel last month.

Her husband told the inquest that he lost sight of his wife, and the alarm was raised when a man came running towards them waving his arms and shouting.

He added: "As I approached the area I could see Sharon lying on her back in the snow near a metal pole.

"The snowmobile was entangled in the netting and her helmet was off."

Instructor Stefan Heritier said in a statement: "I remember this tourist completely because she was a little bit hesitant.

"The accident occurred five minutes after setting off. I saw the woman surprised by the direction of her path and she turned her handlebars to the left. I saw the snowmobile accelerate rapidly as she tried to turn."

Mrs Stacey was thrown from the machine, he added. The Froggatt family, who were also on the excursion, had expressed concerns about the safety instruction given prior to the excursion.

"There was no prior discussion of insurance requirements, no signing of a disclaimer, no discussion of prior experience and no checking that helmets were the correct size or that straps were properly fitted," they said.

Mrs Stacey died despite the efforts of French paramedics and has since been buried in Wareham, Dorset.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, deputy coroner Jonathan Morrissey said: "I do express concern that a powerful machine of this nature can be ridden by a driver who has had five minutes' instruction and no practice whatsoever.

"It was apparent from what I read she was not as experienced as everybody else, which may have been a major contributor to this accident."

Mrs Stacey's death comes just 13 months after Tina Yearsley died while on a company trip with Tenon.

Mrs Yearsley, director of the firm's Chandler's Ford branch, died on February 1 last year when she accidentally accelerated off a slope before plummeting 20 metres down a mountain in Flaine, about 25 miles from Avoriaz in the French Alps.

The 49-year-old from Romsey had been driving the snowmobile with company managing director Carl Jackson riding on the back when the mother-of-two lost control.

They shot off the edge of the slope and landed 20 metres into woods.

Mr Jackson, 45, broke his shoulder in three places but Mrs Yearsley died instantly.

Southampton Coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of accidental death.