A coroner is calling for flood warning signs on a notorious Cotswolds road where two men died in a horrific crash last winter.

The Gloucester inquests into the deaths of the men, from Coventry and Devizes, heard that the A424 Fosse Way where they were killed at Upper Rissington is prone to dangerous flash-flooding.

Standing water and “significant” running water was present on the road on that day and one of the vehicles involved went out of control and aquaplaned into the path of an oncoming vehicle, the inquest was told.

The driver of a silver Nissan 350Z, 50-year-old Barry Clow of Chelsten Road, Coventry, hit the severe flash flooding on the morning of December 9 last year and collided with a black Ford Ranger. He died at the scene.

A back-seat passenger in the Ford Ranger – 74-year-old Ray Westlake of Westminster Close, Devizes, Wiltshire – also died at the scene.

Caroline Saunders, the assistant coroner for Gloucestershire said: “The drainage system along that road becomes overwhelmed and I am going to write to the Highways Agency to suggest that it might be helpful to install warning signs informing motorists of the dangers during wet weather.

"A coroner has a duty to make such suggestions if other lives can be saved.”

Four fire engines and three ambulances, including the Air Ambulance, attended the scene and the occupants of the Ford Ranger had to be cut out of their vehicle, the inquest heard.

The driver of the Ranger, Robert Collins, said in written evidence: “We were out for a boys’ get-together and it was raining heavily.

“I suddenly saw this silver car approaching at speed. It wobbled from side to side – the driver had obviously lost control – and it hit us with an almighty crash. I lost consciousness for a while.”

Another motorist said, in evidence, that there was flash flooding on the road and that the Nissan was travelling too fast for the conditions.

Collision investigator PC William Gibson took the witness stand and said: “Mr Clow was driving at an inappropriate speed, considering the road conditions, I suggest.

“His vehicle aquaplaned and he lost control.”

A post mortem revealed that Mr Clow died from multiple brain and chest injuries and Mr Westlake from multiple chest injuries and fractures.

Conclusion: Both deaths were due to a road traffic collision.