FLORAL tributes have been laid to honour an elderly woman who died after an accident involving a 26-tonne lorry in a busy shopping street.

The horrific incident happened when the pensioner was dragged under the wheels of a food delivery lorry in the middle of Pavement, near The Golden Fleece hotel, in York.

Yesterday, hundreds of shoppers and tourists walked past bunches of flowers tied to railings outside St Crux Church, in Pavement, paying tribute to the woman.

Police said some close relatives of the woman have still to be informed of her death, and they hope to release more details about the pensioner on Monday morning.

The accident, involving a David Price Food Services vehicle, happened at about 9.40am on Thursday.

Appalled passers-by watched in horror as the tragedy unfolded. The woman was certified dead at the scene and witnesses said a rug was placed over her body as she lay in the street.

Minutes after the accident, police cordoned-off the street and traffic was diverted around the area for much of the day. Pavement was eventually re-opened at 3.30pm.

Tarpaulins were put up around the scene with extra sheeting loaned by the council from local market stalls.

Meanwhile, a crowd of people had gathered in Shambles and in Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate to watch as emergency services dealt with the scene.

Paul Martin, the operations director for David Price Food Services, said everyone at the firm was "deeply shocked" and the lorry driver was "in a hell of a state".