A POPULAR Lympstone woman has died following a tragic skiing accident.

Carol Tolson, well-known in the village, notably for her involvement in the community’s amateur dramatic society, fell and suffered severe head injuries while on the slopes with her husband, Robin, at the resort of Obergurgl in Austria.

The 55-year-old former music teacher never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at Innsbruck Hospital - where she was on a life support machine - a week after the fall.

She leaves her husband, and daughters, Lizzie, 20, and Alice, 17.

Mr Tolson, 52, who was just a few yards behind Carol at the time of the incident, tried to help his partner back to her feet, but she complained of a severe headache and collapsed in front of him.

Paying an emotional tribute to his wife of 23 years, he said: “This is a desperately sad tragedy for us as a family and for the very many people who will miss Carol. It’s especially hard on the girls.

“As a family we want to thank the amazing Austrian rescue services and staff at the hospital in Innsbruck who tried so hard to save Carol’s life as well as all the Austrian people who were so kind to us during the very difficult last week of her life”.

Mr Tolson, who has this week been finalising plans for her funeral, said it was not thought Carol’s injuries were life-threatening at first.

He added: “She just had a minor fall of the kind that skiers have all the time.”

A trained judge, Mr Tolson said his partner, who was wearing a safety helmet, was a good skier and had previously tackled much harder slopes than the one in Obergurgl.

Police say no other skier was involved and that she simply lost her balance and fell while on the slopes.

A memorial service will be held to remember Carol at 12 noon this Saturday, March 12, at Lympstone Village Church.