The stepfather of a Falmouth man who died when his BWM hit a tree on the A39 has warned more people will die if changes aren't made to the road.

Steve Wright, the stepfather of Matthew Hodges of Longfield, who died on February 13 aged 27 after his car aquaplaned and came off the road between Perranarworthal and the Treluswell roundabout, told an inquest on Thursday that removing the overtaking lane on the approach to Treluswell could help prevent more deaths.

The inquiry in Truro heard from Janet Bishop, an eyewitness who was driving from towards Falmouth on the morning of Mr Hodges' death, who said his car overtook her "quite gradually" just after the road widens for the overtaking lane.

She said the car "seemed to be returning to the near side lane" when the rear skidded and "the next moment the car was in the air to the left" and hit the tree.

Ms Bishop was one of several eyewitnesses who said the wet weather had led to sheets of water pouring across the carriageway at several points, including one just before where Mr Hodges lost control.

She said: "I would say this was a tragic accident caused by the amount of water on the road."

Crash scene investigator PC Paul Frost said the evidence was that the car had skidded and hit the grass verge and become airborne before hitting the tree, resulting in "substantial impact damage" to the offside.

He added that Mr Hodges, who was travelling at around 40mph, may have lost control when turning from the central to the nearside lane due to a combination of driver input in the form of steering and hydroplaning on the surface water, causing a loss of grip between the tyres and the road.

Adrian Roberts, a safety engineer from Cormac, told the hearing that the accident had led the agency to look at that stretch of the A39, and had made a proposal to Cornwall Council for works to improve drainage and to change the three lane stretch to two lanes with a central hatched area to protect traffic turning off. He added that the works are "subject to funding" by Cornwall Council.

He also said that although there had been one other fatal accident in recent years, in 2013, there were "fewer accidents than the general perception," and added that reducing the lanes could also have a "negative effect."

Mr Wright told him: "There's other people that are going to get killed on that road if it's not changed."

The pathologist Dr Julianne Stolte gave the cause of death as hypovolaemia - blood loss - and multiple injuries caused by a road traffic accident, while a toxicological screening showed no alcohol or drugs in Mr Hodges system.

Assistant coroner Guy Davies returned a verdict of death by road traffic accident, and said Mr Hodges died "due to injuries suffered after losing control of his car car which left the road and hit a tree."

He also said he would be writing to Cornwall Council to call for them to make the changes proposed by Cormac.

Speaking after the inquest, the family thanked the emergency services and everyone who had tried to help Mr Hodges for doing a "marvellous job."

Talking about the plans to change the road layout, they said: "Something needs doing.

"It's sad that it's taken this to do it."