The accident took place near Lake Vyrnwy

Gareth Watkin, 53, was chatting with Delwyn Jones, 68, at the roadside when two Peugeot 205s came over the brow of the hill.

Mr Watkin died at the scene and Mr Jones suffered serious injuries, including two broken legs, after the second car hit them and careered into a Land Rover, catapulting it 20 metres.

Judge John Rogers sentenced Barry John Thomas, 19, and Daniel Harrington, 18, to three years' youth custody.

Thomas had sped on and only learned of the crash when he drove back to find out why his friend had been delayed.

You were both driving at excessive speeds and dangerously... because you were racing or showing off to each other Judge John Rogers

Mold Crown Court heard that the Peugeot 205 GTi driven by Thomas took off on the brow of the hill at Llanwddyn, near Lake Vyrnwy.

The car bounced across the road, narrowly missing an on-coming car which had to brake to avoid a crash.

But Harrington, an unsupervised learner driver following behind Thomas, lost control of his car.

It crashed into the two farmers as they tried to run to safety before careering into the Land Rover.

Harrington's car's brakes had locked at 71mph.

Dangerous driving

Mr Watkin died of multiple injuries at the scene and Mr Jones was airlifted to hospital.

Harrington, of Llwyn Perth, Arddleen, Welshpool, admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Thomas, of Berwyn View, Deytheur, Llansantffraid, had denied the same charge but was convicted at an earlier trial.

Judge Rogers sentenced both to three years youth custody, both were banned from driving for three years and ordered to take their driving tests.

Mold Crown Court heard that Gareth Watkin died at the crash scene

The judge told the pair they had caused the death of Mr Watkin, a much respected member of the community.

"The loss to his family cannot adequately be expressed in words," he said.

"The gravity of what you both did can only be properly dealt with by a substantial period of custody.

"The aggravating feature is that for a long period, you were both driving at excessive speeds and dangerously.

"You were doing so because you were racing or showing off to each other."

But the judge took into account that both young men were of good character with excellent employment records and accepted that they were genuinely remorseful.

Thomas had claimed he had passed the Land Rover in a normal way and knew nothing of the crash until he and his 16-year-old passenger returned to the scene to see where Harrington was.

The court heard how Mr Watkin had started cattle dealing after he lost his herd during the foot and mouth epidemic.

He had then started working as a cattle dealer when he died.

After the first trial, Mr Watkin's widow, Helen, had said she hoped the tragedy would serve as a lesson to other "boy racers".