A waterskier was killed by his wife when she took the controls of a speedboat as a birthday treat, an inquest heard.

Richard Croft was in the sea, half a mile south west of Brighton Marina, when he was accidentally hit by his boat.

He died almost instantly from multiple injuries.

The inquest heard how his wife, Claire, had not wanted to take the wheel of the 21ft boat because she had only driven it once.

But she was persuaded by her husband because it was his 33rd birthday.

Mr Croft, who lived in Chichester Drive West, Saltdean, and was a partner in Beaconsfield Motors, Brighton, was hit by the propeller as Mrs Croft manoeuvred to pick him up from the water.

Mrs Croft, who has been devastated by the accident, did not attend the hearing at Brighton Magistrates Court.

Brighton and Hove Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley, said she had excused her attendance on medical grounds.

Instead, Mrs Croft's statement was read to the court.

She told how the couple, who had been married for six years, had planned a happy day celebrating her husband's birthday on Bank Holiday Monday last year, with family and friends, including Mr Croft's parents.

Family friend Mark Ansdell, from Norfolk, was on board the speedboat when the accident happened.

He said as Mrs Croft approached her husband, she was trying not to get too close when the rear of the boat swung round and the collision happened.

The lifeboat was launched to help recover his body from the sea.

Tests on the couple showed neither had drunk any alcohol.

The inquest heard the speedboat, which had an 8.2litre engine, was a powerful machine for an inexperienced driver to handle.

The wind and tide conditions on that day would also have made manoeuvring difficult.

The coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.