In what will come across as a really startling development, a woman has died after her husband accidentally ran over her.

The husband ran over her in a church car park, in Sydney, Australia.

The 70-year-old woman had been dropped off at the Castle Hill Baptist Church where she ran a bible study group at around 9.30am local time on Sunday, March 19.

The woman's husband, also 70, was driving the car and was not said to be injured in the accident which was witnessed by another member of the congregation.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and her husband was taken to Westmead Hospital for mandatory testing.

No-one has been arrested at this time.

Pastor Ian Deane told reporters at the scene that this was an “extremely tragic” accident.

He said: “She’s been an active member of the church and the person who witnessed it is also an active member of the church, it’s just tragic... just incredibly sad."

Pictures from the scene show the white car surrounded by police with a white sheet draped over the right hand side.

Castle Hill is a suburb in the north west of Sydney in New South Wales.