Anjanette Rossi and her daughter were among the seven killed

Anjanette Rossi, 38, and Louella Main, nine, were among seven people killed in the crash on a level-crossing near Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, in 2004.

David Main told the jury inquest in Slough how the pair had been shopping and missed their first train home.

He was waiting at Newbury station but could not get hold of them by phone.

The inquest began on Monday morning after a delay of nearly three years while Mr Main, of Speen, Berkshire, successfully fought for legal aid.

Train driver Stanley Martin, 54, of Torquay in Devon, and five passengers died when the high-speed London Paddington to Plymouth train hit motorist Brian Drysdale's car on the level-crossing at 100mph.

All eight carriages derailed in the crash on 6 November 2004.

I knew something was wrong and I tried to ring Anjanette but she didn't answer David Main

Mr Main told the inquest he had dropped Ms Rossi and his daughter at Newbury station on the day of the crash so they could spend the day shopping in Reading.

He said: "When Anjanette phoned and said she had missed the train, I said 'I will come and pick you up' and she said 'No, we enjoy the train - we will have a coffee'."

He told the inquest he then waited with his son to collect them at Newbury station.

He said he saw a train coming the other way, which people were getting off, and it was announced there had been an incident.

"Then I knew something was wrong and I tried to ring Anjanette but she didn't answer. Then I knew something was seriously wrong."

Close to tears

The inquest heard how he called a friend to pick his son up and he went straight to the police station.

Close to tears, he said: "I said I knew there had been a train crash and I knew Anjanette was on it."

The five passengers who died were: Mr Main's partner Anjanette Rossi, 38, of Speen, Berkshire, and daughter Louella Main, nine; Charlie Matthews, 72, of Warminster, Wiltshire; Barry Strevens, 55, of Wells, Somerset; and Emily Webster, 14.

Mr Drysdale, who was 48 and from Reading, also died.