A mother was killed when she lost control of her car in an accident that also claimed the life of her little girl, an inquest heard.

Emma Parker, 32, and her daughter Hope Palmer, two, both suffered fatal head injuries in the crash on a road near Gaddesby, Melton.

Yesterday, an inquest into the deaths of the mother and daughter, from Central Avenue, Syston, heard how their car rolled on to its side as it came out of a bend and collided with a tree.

Deputy coroner Carolyn Hull, who presided over the hearing at Loughborough Coroner's Court, said: "I am satisfied this was the result of a tragic accident, and I do not use that word lightly.

"Both Emma and Hope were in the prime of their lives. Words defeat me."

The accident happened at about 1.20pm on July 11 as Ms Parker was driving her Renault Safrane, in Rearsby Lane, towards the Rearsby bypass. No other vehicle was involved.

Accident investigator Pc Allan Silver told the hearing the crash happened as she was exiting a right-hand bend.

He said tyre marks at the scene showed the car had begun to drift across the road.

Pc Silver said it was his opinion that Ms Parker over-corrected to compensate for causing the loss of control.

He said the road conditions and the weather were not factors in the crash.

Pc Silver said the road had a 60mph speed limit.

He made no reference to how fast the car was travelling at the time of the accident.

Pc Silver said: "The vehicle already was out of control, probably following harsh or excessive steering on the part of the driver.

"The roof had been crushed down into the passenger compartment to roughly the level of the door handle."

Pc Silver also said the car partially wrapped itself around a tree.

He said Ms Parker had been wearing a seatbelt and a child's car seat had been correctly fitted in the front-passenger seat of the Renault.

He said there was a second child seat in the back of the car, which was not being used at the time.

Ms Hull said: "We don't know what caused the initial drifting.

"The over-compensation of harsh left-hand steering has resulted in the loss of control."

She recorded that both deaths were accidental.