The two men killed in a horrific car crash on the A39 in Perranarworthal have been named by police, as touching tributes and flowers are laid at the scene of the crash.

David Burnett, 42, and Dean Ward, 47, both from Truro, have been named by police as the two people who died in the crash, which left a third man with serious injuries and needing medical treatment.

The crash occurred between the Norway Inn and Treluswell Roundabout on January 26, when the car lost control and smashed into a granite wall - causing so much damage that the engine was separated from the rest of the car.

Now flowers and touching tributes have been paid to the victims, from friends and family alike - including one from David Burnett's twin sister.

Mr Burnett's devastated twin sister wrote: "To my twin brother David, you have left a big hole in my heart. Also your sister and brother Sammy and Shane.

"Love you always and forever in our hearts. Miss you. RIP. Lots of Love your Twin Anna and Sammy and Shane xxxxxx."

And his son wrote: "To Dad (David), Love you, Daniel Jordan Bradley."

There were also tributes to Dean, believed to be a bus driver originally from Leicester. One read: "Our Darling Dean (Dad), not a day shall pass that you are not missed. Both you and Dave sleep well. Lots of Love, Mum, your sister Grayce + family and Henri, Elli and Riley".

A spokesperson from the police said: "David Burnett, 42, from Truro and Dean Ward, 47, also from Truro were both killed when the blue Ford Fiesta they were traveling in left the road and came to rest upside down in a tree.

"The third man sustained a serious leg injury and was extracted from the vehicle by the fire service before being taken to Treliske Hospital.

"Emergency services were called at 10.30pm after the car struck a bridge on the A39 at Perranarworthal.

"The A39 was closed at the Norway Inn while officers from the Serious Collisions Investigation Team carried out an examination of the scene.

"Police are appealing for any witnesses to the collision or to anyone who saw the Fiesta travelling on the A39 prior to the incident to contact them via 101@dc.police.uk or by telephone on 101, quoting log number 0804 of 26/01/17."

Not much is known about the cause of the accident, but mother-of-two Lucy Whitman, who was the first on the scene, has recounted the moment she heard the crash, and went to the aid of the sole survivor.  Ms Whitman, 52, lives directly opposite the site of the accident at Stickenbridge and she, along with the rest of the Whitman family, were quick to respond, donning their fluorescent jackets and each rushing to the scene of the crash to aid in whatever way they could.

Despite being on the scene within minutes there was nothing that could be done for two of the occupants of the car, as the sheer force of the crash had separated the engine and gearbox from the rest of the car, and sent the car rolling over the wall and down a steep hill.

Lucy said: "It was quite a normal evening to begin with, until about 10.25.

"We all heard a bang then a further bang; it was a different sound to normal so I leaned out the window and could instantly smell engine oil.

"We couldn't see anything but suddenly I heard this voice from across the road shouting for help, so we went to have a look and found the car upside down, so I shouted my daughter to call the emergency services.

"I managed to get the door open but there was nothing I could do to help, we couldn't get the man out the car."

By pure chance, Nicholas then spotted an ambulance driving past and flagged it down to ask for help.

Lucy continued: "We saw an ambulance coming down the road so we flagged it down, and the driver come over and said he would see what he could do.

"I was lucky enough not to see any of the injuries, at the time it was just the one person I was talking to, he was the only one making sounds.

"It then emerged that there was a third person in the car, but the survivor didn't know where they were.

"We assumed that they have been catapulted from the vehicle so we went to look for them, but it turned out he was in the car all along.

"There was no sign to suggest the car had been breaking, the first thing we heard of the crash was the bang.

"Only a few nights previously the same thing almost happened, we heard a car skid round the bend and lose control, but avoided hitting anything and managed to drive off, but not this time.

"There was no clue as to why this accident happened. There was no screeching, no brakes, no sign of alcohol.  "Eventually the rest of the emergency services arrived and we were no longer needed, so we went back to the house.  "Slowly all the emergency services left, at 5.30 the car was eventually taken away, but I have no idea when the casualty was taken to the hospital.

"In a situation like that, you don't worry about what you’re going to see, you hear someone calling for help and you try your best."

Nicholas Whitman, 55, a grounds man, said: "We didn't actually see the car, but we heard the bang.

"We could smell engine oil in the air, and could see the engine lying on the side of the road.

"This is a 60mph part of the road, when you hit granite at that speed it doesn't move."