An engineering entrepreneur died after his Range Rover crashed in treacherous conditions just yards from his home, an inquest heard today.

David Brown, 78, was thrown out of the window after losing control of the vehicle in heavy snow on a private road leading to his Raventhorpe Manor home, in Boltby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire on January 28.

A inquest heard that the two-tonne vehicle crashed through a hedge and rolled over his body as he lay on the ground, causing fatal head injuries.

Coroner Michael Oakley recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said Mr Brown had suffered a fracture to the base of his skull.

Mr Brown, chairman of Thirsk-based engineering company, Multidrive, was driving alone in the car when the accident happened.

The inquest heard that heavy snow and ice covered the road near his home and that a recent snow shower had added a further layer.

Accident investigator, PC Paul Davenport said: "A collision has occurred as the Range Rover ran wide on an icy road with an adverse camber.

"The fact that Mr Brown was not wearing a seat belt has allowed him to be ejected from the vehicle. It has rolled over him, causing fatal injuries."

PC Davenport said the icy road would have "seriously" affected the vehicle's grip, but subsequent tests of the car, which was still driveable after the accident, showed it had no faults.

Mr Brown was the boss of Multidrive a company he formed 21 years ago.

Multidrive manufactures and designs a wide range of off-road heavy haulage vehicles, mainly for the agricultural and steel industries, along with vehicles for military and commercial contracts.

Mr Brown set up the company in 1983 as a division of the Brown Group of companies, all of which specialised in making off-road heavy haulage vehicles.

The companies were sold to Caterpillar in 1996, with the exception of Multidrive.

Caterpillar workers in Teesside, South Africa, Europe and the United States flew flags at half mast in tribute to his death.

Multidrive won a contract from the Ministry of Defence in 2002 to design and develop a six-wheel, nine-tonne electric off-road cargo truck to be used by the army.

Mr Brown leaves two sons and two daughters.