Witnesses have told an inquest that they watched in horror as a helicopter plunged to the ground before they battled through the wreckage to try to save the pilot and his wife.

Brighouse businessman Paul Spencer, 43, who was flying the aircraft, and his wife Linda, 59, the only passenger, were killed when they crashed in Rudding Park resort in Harrogate in January, 2008.

Serious flaws later emerged in Mr Spencer’s training, which was not sufficient to grant him a licence, the inquest in Harrogate heard yesterday.

Mr Spencer had picked up his new Gazelle aircraft from Essex on the day he died and had flown to the park, where the couple owned a lodge, North Yorkshire Coroner Rob Turnbull said.

The entrepreneur, who had held his helicopter licence for just six weeks, lost control as the couple returned to the resort after a flight. Bernard Reed, a former neighbour of the Spencers at Rudding Park, said: “He went down, we heard a thud... just a big thud and that was it.”

The inquest will resume today.