POPULAR former pub landlady Robyn Napper died when her car span out of control on a sharp bend and struck a tree.

Miss Napper, 28, who ran The Spread Eagle pub in East Hagbourne for five years until last June, was driving on an unclassified road between the A415 and Gozzards Ford when the crash happened on Monday night.

Miss Napper, who was the sixth generation of her family to run pubs in East and West Hagbourne, was just south of the Shippon turn-off near Abingdon when her VW Beetle left the road and hit the tree. There were no other passengers in the car.

Thames Valley Police said: "It appears that Miss Napper lost control on a right-hand bend."

A friend had taken her to collect her car which had been repaired and Miss Napper was driving home to Didcot.

Police, who are investigating the crash, said there was nothing to suggest there was anything wrong with the vehicle. A postmortem examination was being held today and an inquest is expected to be opened and adjourned by Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner.

Miss Napper, whose family is well known in the district as farmers, newsagents and publicans, left The Spread Eagle last June after five years because of plans by Abingdon brewers Morland to close the pub and sell it with planning permission for housing.

She helped raise thousands of pounds for charity and community projects at the pub, which hosted the village's annual pumpkin competition for many years.

John Hitchcock, business development manager with Morland until December, told the Oxford Mail that as the area manager he knew Miss Napper well and was deeply saddened by her death.

He said: "She was extremely popular with her customers and regularly organised events for good causes. I was very fond of her and would like to express my condolences to her family at this terrible time."

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