A drink-driver and his passenger died in a high-speed horror smash when he lost control of a Porsche at more than 100mph and hit a large tree, an inquest heard on Monday.

The hearing at Ewloe was told the speedometer had been frozen at 110mph. Police vehicle examiner Peter Jones said the damage to the Porsche Cayman was “catastrophic”.

Pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers said both bodies had been ejected from the car when it disintegrated on impact. “It’s difficult to confirm who was the driver,” he said.

However, injury to Paul Corness, 27, was consistent with him being the driver.

“Paul Corness was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident,” said Dr Rodgers. His blood-alcohol count was 155, the legal limit being 80.

Passenger John Roberts-Jones, also 27, had been drinking and had taken cocaine. Both died from multiple injuries.

Both men, from Denbigh, were killed after a night out in April 2018, on the A525 town bypass.

Collision investigator Gordon Saynor said there was a “scene of devastation”. There had been a side impact.

Mr Saynor said it was “probably one of the worst” crashes he had attended in more than 40 years service with the police. The car went out of control and veered across the road on a gradual right-hand bend at high speed.

Fellow investigator Emma Dainty said Mr Corness, a sales rep, of Llys Gwydyr, Denbigh, drove at “grossly excessive speed” while under the influence of alcohol.

Coroner John Gittins recorded conclusions that their deaths were due to a road traffic collision contributed to by the car being driven at excessive speed while under the influence of alcohol.

He acknowledged that the families would still have questions about the tragedy. “Regardless of that feature, this is a huge and tragic loss for you all.

“I am very conscious you have all lost people who you very-much loved and cared for,” the coroner declared to family and friends in the public gallery.

Grim dashcam footage was shown during the hearing from the coach driven by Carolyn Thomas. She said there had been debris across the road.

Mr Roberts-Jones was a factory worker of Bryn Dedwydd, Denbigh.