Lewis Roberts suffered multiple injuries when a Toyota Hilux being driven by his girlfriend lost control and collided with an oncoming 7.5-tonne lorry at 6.50am on January 2, on Tivetshall Road in Pulham Market.

In the hours before the crash, highways bosses at Norfolk County Council had received two calls from their weather provider - one at 2am and another at 4am - warning them of unexpected temperature drops in south Norfolk.

Mr Roberts was being driven to work by his girlfriend when the collision happened(Image: Social Media)

Despite the updates, the officials decided not to act as they believed they would not be able to mobilise staff in time.

In a report read at the inquest, Karl Rands, NCC director of highways services, defended the decision.

Mr Rands said the process of gritting the roads would take up to three hours so the late warnings meant it was "unachievable" to have it done by the morning.

The day before the tragedy, the council had taken the decision not to grit........

© Eastern Daily Press