Lara Fernandes-Pontes was knocked down by a Land Rover after she dashed out into the road to get a paddling pool for a friend's party . A six-year-old girl was knocked down and killed after she ran across the street to retrieve a paddling pool for a friend's birthday party, a coroner heard today. 'Happy' schoolgirl Lara Fernandes-Pontes was being dropped off at a classmate's party by her parents when the tragic accident occurred. The excited youngster had just arrived at her friend's house when she remembered she had left a small paddling pool in the boot of her father's car parked across the road. She dashed out between two parked cars to get it and was struck by a Land Rover Discovery in South Oxhey last July, Hertfordshire Coroners' Court heard today. The driver, who had been making his way down the narrow street at a slow speed, would have had 'no chance' of stopping before he hit Lara, the hearing was told. She was airlifted to nearby Watford General Hospital but doctors could find no signs of life and she was pronounced dead. Her parents were visibly shaken as the inquest was told forensic police investigators found scuff marks on the bumper of the Land Rover where it had struck Lara's head. Coroner for Hertfordshire, Edward Thomas, said: 'Mum said they had been at Hayling Road dropping Lara off at a party and dad had parked opposite the address. 'Lara and mum had alighted and crossed the road. As they approached the door Lara remembered she had forgotten a small paddling pool in the boot of the car - it was obviously a swimming party and she turned and ran back across to get it. That's when she was struck by the car. 'Obviously she was so looking forward to the party, she was so excited and she wasn't concentrating properly when this tragedy occurred. 'I'm sure that Lara died instantly. I have received various reports about Lara including her medical records. She seems to have been really healthy and well cared for. She was a very happy girl and you can tell that she was a very happy, very well looked after, very well cared for girl. 'She was going to a birthday party, the excitement children have going to birthday parties. She must have really been looking forward to that birthday party. Here we have a really healthy, young girl who was going to a birthday party. 'She died of a traumatic head injury and that's why she would have felt nothing whatsoever. She would have died at that moment, the instant it happened and there's nothing anybody could have done to save her. 'A lot of people tried their very, very best but the injuries she suffered were too severe.' Police constable Anthony Winter told the hearing in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, that the driver would have had around one second between seeing Lara and hitting her. He said that the Land Rover Discovery IV had been driving at between 14mph and 16mph at the time of the accident, and that Lara was so short the male driver would not have seen her above his bonnet at the point of impact. The six-year old ran out between two parked cars to get the paddling pool and was struck by a Land Rover Discovery in South Oxhey (pictured) last July . 'The driver had about one second to react by the time he saw Lara. You've got to see what's happening, think what you're going to do and then do it. With such a low distance and such a short time there's nothing he could have done about it.' The tragedy unfolded in South Oxhey, Hertfordshire, on July 13 last year. Coroner Mr Thomas said: 'This was an area of parked cars. The driver says he was mindful of going down the hill and then out of nowhere he saw a small person coming out from his right hand side. He said he reacted instinctively. 'Other witnesses saw a girl running diagonally across from a house where a party was going on and that she was looking ahead. They saw this four wheel drive car which wasn't driving fast. They said that it was 'bound to happen'.' He said that police had used witness reports and CCTV footage from a neighbouring house to piece together what had happened and calculate the driver's speed. Recording a verdict of accidental death, he described Lara's death as a 'tragic accident'. 'She just remembered something was in the boot of the car and she was going to get it. The poor driver had no chance whatsoever, it was quite clear that as soon as he realised what was happening it would have happened. 'There's no doubt from the CCTV and also the police calculations that the speed of the vehicle was well within the speed limit and it was an appropriate speed to be driving.' The youngster, who the coroner described as a 'a very happy girl' and a 'very well looked after girl,' was rushed to Watford General Hospital where paramedics attempted to revive her, despite her having no heartbeat. Lara was was airlifted to nearby Watford General Hospital (pictured) but doctors could find no signs of life and she was pronounced dead after the incident . The Coroner said: 'Lara was taken to Watford General Hospital after an air ambulance arrived. When the helicopter arrived they confirmed there was no heart beat, I am sure she died instantly.' He said the post-mortem 'confirmed she died of a traumatic head injury, so she felt nothing whatsoever. 'Nothing I can say can take away how awful this is for Lara's parents, her family and also for all of Lara's friends,' he added. The youngster's family were now set to return to their native Portugal following the outcome of the inquest, he added. The family declined to comment after the inquest. But Lara’s cousin, Jessica Fernandes Oliveira, 21, said at the time of the tragedy that the loss was ‘devastating’. ‘She will be eternally missed and remain in my heart, forever treasuring her beautiful smile that created wonderful memories in the short time she had been with us,’ she said. Aunt Gabby Araujo, 23, added: ‘I will miss her face lighting up when she was with me.’ Police are investigating the collision. The birthday girl’s mother, who asked not to be named,  revealed after the crash that she was even considering moving house to escape the memories of Lara’s death. ‘We have only good things to say about her. She was my daughter’s best friend and she was in my house all the time,’ she said. ‘I am very shaken up by what happened … She was so young. She always had a smile on her face. I might have to move because every time I open the door I am just going to see her face.’
Lara Fernandes-Ponteswas on the way to a party when  hit by Land Rover . She was being dropped off by her parents when remembered the pool . The six-year-old had dashed across the road to get it for the birthday party . Coroner said driver of car had 'no chance' of stopping before he hit her .