Investigation reopened into Dronfield mum's hit-and-run death in Tenerife

Spanish police have reopened their investigation into the death of a British mother killed in a hit-and-run in Tenerife after a successful legal challenge from her family.

Michelle Exton, from Dronfield in North Derbyshire, was on holiday in December when she and her mother, Ann, were hit by a white van which mounted the pavement.

Michelle, 50, suffered fatal head injuries and died in hospital four days later, while her 76-year-old mother sustained serious rib and back injuries.

Ann told ITV News: "I remember looking round for Michelle because she wasn't at the side of me and she was a few feet further down the road.

"I crawled over to her and I could see she was in a bad way. It's all a bit of a blur."

Witnesses reported the driver of the van as getting out of the vehicle after the crash to look at the two women before getting back in and driving away. He has still not been found.

Despite this, the investigation was closed by a Spanish court after just nine working days.

Authorities have now been given permission to reopen the case following an appeal by Michelle's family, lodged in March.

Ann added: "I hope there will be some justice.

"I just think he's a coward for what he did - to get out of the van and look at what he'd done and drive off."

Ms Exton with her mother, Ann, who was seriously injured in the hit and run Credit: Family Handout/PA

Michelle's daughter Sophia is now calling for anyone with information to come forward so they can assist the police in their investigations.

Sophia said: "Mum was our family. She was the person we all looked up to and went to for help and advice.

"She was a wonderful, loving, caring and thoughtful person and didn’t deserve to die in the way she did.

"I need people to really think about if you were in that situation and help and hopefully we will get somewhere."

Michelle and her mother were walking on a road leading from Las Chafiras to Golf del Sur in the south of the island when the crash happened at about 8.30pm local time on 11 December last year.

The driver is described as a white man who is about 5ft 8in tall with a bald or closely shaven head.

The van could have been a Mercedes Sprinter, Renault Traffic, Nissan Primastar or Vauxhall Vivaro.

The passenger side wing mirror of the white van fell off and was left behind at the scene.

The application to reopen the case was initially rejected but the decision was appealed by Irwin Mitchell in collaboration with Spanish lawyers.

James Riley, the specialist international serious injury lawyer representing the family, said: "Michelle’s family remain devastated by her death and the circumstances surrounding it.

"Trying to come to terms with what happened has been made all the harder by the decision to close the criminal investigation and the subsequent refusal to reopen it."

Family's anger as investigation dropped into mum's hit-and-run death in Tenerife

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