A woman has been fined in connection with a crash which left a cyclist with a fractured skull.

Judith Carpenter, 47, of Woodland View, Dilton Marsh near Westbury, opened the door of her VW Sharan onto Thomas Ludlow, who was riding past on his bicycle at the time. The crash happened in Union Street, Trowbridge, at about 2pm on January 9. Mr Ludlow’s skull was fractured in two places.

Carpenter, who admitted a charge of opening her vehicle door so as to injury or endanger another person, was fined £70 and £50 in costs and victim surcharge at Chippenham Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Magistrates sentenced Carpenter in her absence, after she admitted the charge by post.