An inquest has heard that the pregnant wife of a charity boss grabbed the steering wheel of their car after her husband was injured when the tailgate of a trailer swung through the windscreen.

The Daily Mail reports that 47-year-old Rene Vargas – programmes director of medical charity Lepra – was critically injured in the incident, which occurred in November 2008 at Marks Tey in Essex. Mr Vargas sustained serious head injuries and died in hospital four days after the accident.

The inquest at Chelmsford Coroner's Court was told how Mr Vargas’ wife Katy – from Colchester – took over the steering wheel when the tailgate from the van driving in front came loose and then hit the road and flipped up. It smashed through the windscreen of the couple’s Vauxhaul Zafira. Mrs Vargas told the inquest she had been looking down at a map just before the incident.

Mr Vargas was cut from the wreckage by firefighters and taken to Queens Hospital in Romford, where there is a specialist head injuries unit.

The inquest was told that a police investigation discovered that the tailgate belonged to a Ford Transit van and the hinge had not been securely fastened – the 29-year-old driver of the van is facing legal proceedings.

The coroner Caroline Beasley Murray recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision.

Mother-of-three Mrs Vargas – who gave birth to the couple’s third child following the death of her husband – paid tribute to him after the inquest.

'There are no words to express how we will miss him forever, but we know his love and beautiful smile will always shine on in our hearts.

'He shunned the limelight and personal status, but was fiercely ambitious in his efforts to support the poorest people in improving their lives, constantly succeeding against the odds in finding new funding and new ways to expand his work. Everything he did came out of his desire to work for a more just world.'

The charity Lepra – which helps leprosy sufferers worldwide – said:

'He was a lovely, gentle, happy man who was extremely dedicated to helping people in the developing world.’

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