A Maidstone couple died after their car veered onto the wrong side of the road and hit a pick-up truck while on holiday in Portugal, an inquest has heard.

Alan Pask, 68, and his wife Sally, 56, died at the scene after colliding with the vehicle while travelling on the national highway in Faro, in the Algarve, at about 6am on October 19.

An inquest at The Archbishop’s Palace was told the ground was wet and it was raining at the time of the accident, which took place on “a relatively gentle bend”, while the couple, from Lansdowne Avenue, were driving to the airport to catch a flight back to the UK.

Mr Pask, a retired haulage driver born in Dartford, and his wife, a support worker originally from Gillingham, died from multiple injuries, while three Portuguese men in the other vehicle suffered serious injuries in the crash.

Three ambulances and a rescue vehicle, as well as police, were sent to the scene.

Portuguese officials found no evidence of alcohol or drugs in Mr Pask’s system.

Assistant coroner Kate Thomas told the inquest: “The medical cause of death given is multiple injuries.

“For reasons we don’t know, Mr Pask traversed to the wrong side of the road and hit a vehicle coming in the other direction.”

Addressing the family, she added: “Can I offer my condolences for the sad loss of Sally and Alan in a tragic accident. I am very sorry we were not able to provide you with more answers.”