Two women were killed when a coach crashed on a 150 metre sheet of black ice that had turned a steep un-gritted road into an “ice rink” an inquest heard yesterday.

Irene Spencer, 78, and Patricia Pryor, 70, both from Camborne, were with 45 other passengers travelling around West Cornwall to see the festive lights when the accident happened at the foot of a hill near Townshend, between Hayle and Helston.

Mrs Spencer who was not wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene at around 10.15pm on December 22 last year.

Mrs Pryor, who was wearing a seat belt, was later pronounced dead at The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

The women, who suffered multiple injuries, were on a Women’s Institute night out with family and friends including children.

Philip Paffett who was driving the coach for Camborne-based firm Williams Travel, told the hearing he told passengers to wear seatbelts. He said he avoided a large tree as the coach swung from side to side before plunging into a ditch and landing on its right side.

Mr Paffett said: “The coach kept going straight like a rocket down the hill – I had no control whatsoever. I managed to miss the trees.

“The wheels were spinning and the back end was swinging around. I held on tight to the wheel and we went over.”

After the impact he tried to call emergency services but could get no signal on his mobile phone.

He said: “There were bodies lying everywhere.

“I managed to get passengers out through the roof vent.

“I felt helpless and totally responsible and was in a state of shock.”

He said there had been no weather warnings, roads were dry with good visibility.

Jane Beresford, one of the coach passengers, said Mr Paffettmanaged to save us from further tragedy by avoiding the large tree”.

She added: “I appreciate the council can’t grit every road, but they could have gritted this road because people were using it going to the lights.”

Emergency vehicles arriving on the scene also slid on the ice, with a police car crashing into the coach.

Kevin Brian, highways engineer for Cornwall Council, said the authority gritted 20 per cent of the network and the road in question was not a priority.

He said: “It’s a question of what’s reasonable and what we can afford and resources. A and B roads on the network and other roads such as ones leading to hospitals are priority routes.”

Jeremy Edwards, also an engineer with the Highways department, said since the tragedy the road had not been classed a priority for gritting but the council had put a grit bin on the hill.

Barrie van den Berg assistant Coroner for Cornwall recorded verdicts of accidental death for both women.

He told Mr Paffett: “Your behaviour was exemplary and you should be congratulated. It was not your fault at all.”