A VAN driver who knocked down a pensioner as he crossed a road has admitted responsibility for his death.

Frank Molt, 71, of Wychford Drive, Sawbridgeworth pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving this Monday (July 19). He had hit Jim Pritchard, 71, in Epping High Street last June.

Mr Pritchard, of Mott Street, Waltham Abbey, was taken to Royal London Hospital by air ambulance after the incident but died shortly afterwards.

Calls were made at the time to install a proper crossing outside Tesco's as Mr Pritchard had been using a traffic island to try to cross the road when he was hit, but nothing has emerged.

Tile Base assistant manager Paul Miles, who witnessed the original incident, said: “It's like it never happened. I still think there should be a crossing but I don't think they'll do it. They're always digging up the road here but they can't put a crossing in.

“They're always racing down here at 50, 60, 70 in their flash sports cars. There could at least be a speed camera. They could get rid of the one up the road which doesn't catch anyone and put it here to catch all the idiots.”

West End Furniture owner Mike Johnson said: “There's an awful lot of pedestrians and traffic around Tesco's there, and from the roundabout at Station Road it's a fast stretch of road.

“At the other end of the High Street, there's mini roundabouts, pedestrian crossings, and traffic lights. This end we've got nothing.

“Where the guy got knocked down you see a lot of people walking out in to the middle thinking the traffic should be stopping but it's not a proper crossing. It's neither here nor there.”

Molt will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on August 16.

Lillian Crockett, 84, of Mott Street, had been Mr Pritchard's neighbour for 42 years and said the guilty plea would offer some comfort to his family.

She said: “It might be a help to his family. I haven't seen much of them since it happened but I know they were devastated. It was such a terrible thing.”