AN inquest into the death of a woman who was killed on a road near Winchester - sparking local residents to call for tighter safety measures - will be held today.

Mother-of-four Anna Stilwell was killed when she was hit by a car on a stretch of road in Headbourne Worthy in September last year.

Since her death, about 460 local people have signed up to a petition calling for speeding restrictions to be imposed on the road, Well House Lane, which residents say is a well-known shortcut through to the A34.

Mrs Stilwell, 60, died as she walked along a part of the road with tight twisting bends and which currently has a 40mph speed limit.

Those who have signed the petition want the speed limit cut to 30mph to prevent further deaths on the road.

Since the accident an anti-skid surface has also been laid on the road to prevent braking cars losing traction around the tricky bends.

One of those campaigning for the tighter speed controls is Headbourne Worthy's Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, Margaret Filley.

She believes that had the anti-skid work been done prior to the accident and the speed reduced, then Mrs Stilwell would still be alive today.

She said: "Something needs to be done. I'm sure that the road surface was very much part of what happened that day."

However she added that she felt quietly optimistic that road chiefs at Hampshire County Council were listening to the village's calls.

A spokesman for the council confirmed the petition would be taken into account when a decision was finally reached on any change of speed limit.

The inquest into Mrs Stilwell's death will be held at the central Hampshire Coroners' court in Winchester tomorrow.