RESIDENTS of Spin Hill, Market Lavington, are calling for action to reduce speed on the road following the death of car passenger Sharon Oliver.

Mrs Oliver, 34, was travelling in her husband's silver Renault 19 when it was in collision with a blue Peugeot 306 near the top of Spin Hill on Saturday at 8.15pm.

Police said Mr Oliver, 22, who lived with his wife in Stirling Road, Market Lavington, was driving towards the village and the Peugeot was travelling the other way.

Officers said the Peugeot failed to negotiate a right hand bend and skidded into the offside of the road, hitting the Renault.

Mrs Oliver's injuries were so severe that she died at the scene of the crash.

An off duty police inspector from Salisbury was one of the first motorists on the scene and he gave first aid to the casualties until paramedics arrived.

Mr Oliver suffered a broken rib, cuts and bruising in the crash. The 18-year-old Peugeot driver, who was from the Devizes area, dislocated an elbow and his 22-year-old passenger, also from the Devizes area, suffered shock.

All three were taken to Salisbury District Hospital by road ambulance and have since been discharged.

Residents of Spin Hill, which is on the outskirts of Market Lavington, said this week that traffic regularly speeds along the road, and are calling for the 60mph limit to be reduced.

Brian Minter, 60, a locksmith who has lived in Spin Hill for eight years, said: "Cars and motorcycles speed up and down Spin Hill. They use the hill as a racetrack and I often hear the squealing of brakes. It's no exaggeration to say that some motorists travel in excess of 100mph."

Another resident, Alan Bond, 50, a software engineer, said: "It's worse during the rush hour. People are in a hurry and they zip up and down Spin Hill. It can be quite hairy at times and it's difficult to pull out of my driveway."

Parish councillor Sharon Charity said: "This tragedy underlines the worries which people in Market Lavington have about road safety on Spin Hill.

"Time and time again local people and the parish council have demanded action and on every occasion we are told it is not a priority.

"This is a residential road housing many young families and elderly people and yet the 30mph sign is round a dangerous bend at the very bottom of the hill. To make matters worse there is no pavement at the bottom of the hill. It cannot possibly be too much to move the 30mph sign up the hill."

Residents in Stirling Road were shocked to hear of Mrs Oliver's death. She and her husband moved into their semi-detached house last year after marrying.

One resident said: "She was ever so friendly and always said hello when I met her."

An inquest into Mrs Oliver's death, which was adjourned on Tuesday, was told that Mrs Oliver was unemployed due to health reasons.

An 18-year-old man from the Devizes area was yesterday arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and released on police bail pending further inquiries.