A businessman who killed a woman and himself after losing control of his high-performance sports car was responsible for the tragedy, a sheriff has ruled.

Mary Kelly, 52, died when John Kyle ploughed into her council van in his BMW Z3 convertible, which he had bought just days earlier.

Mr Kyle showed "blatant disregard" for road safety and was to blame for both his own and Ms Kelly's death and the serious injury of Ms Kelly's workmate, an inquiry heard.

Ms Kelly, a home help and "careful and methodical" driver, was making her daily calls to elderly clients at the time of the accident.

She was driving her East Ayrshire Council van on the twisting B778 Fenwick- Stewarton road when she was struck head-on.

Witness Alexander Muir said: "It all happened very quickly when I saw a sports car hitting the hedge ahead at speed. I put my hazards on and got out to see if I could help in any way."

Mr Muir, 42, told the fatal accident inquiry he could do nothing for the drivers but saw some movement from Ms Kelly's passenger, fellow home help Ann Riddick.

Ms Riddick, 51, was cut free from the wreckage and taken by air ambulance to Glasgow's Southern General Hospital, where she woke up with no memory of the accident.

She asked staff why she was there but they would not tell her at first, leaving visiting relatives to break the news of the crash and deaths.

"I was getting out the next day and that was when Mary's funeral was," she said. "As time went on I realised it was real."

Ms Riddick described Ms Kelly's driving as careful and methodical, adding: "I was confident sitting next to Mary because she was an excellent driver."

Mr Kyle had bought and MoT'd the BMW Z3 convertible - registration S888HOT - the week before, Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard.

But both rear tyres had barely legal treads and the front brake discs, though legal, were pitted and corroded.

Strathclyde Police vehicle examiners found Ms Kelly's Citroen Berlingo van was in roadworthy condition with no defects.

PC Wiliam Bowman, a crash investigator, said the road was clearly marked and signed for hazards including bends and dips. He said the BMW driver was going too fast for the series of bends and would have encountered problems with steering, braking and suspension.

Mr Kyle lost control after taking a bend too fast and "chose to display blatant disregard for road safety, not only for himself but for other road users."

PC Bowman added: "His driving fell well below what I would expect for a careful and competent driver. He was responsible for his own and Mary Kelly's deaths and the serious injury of her passenger."

Ms Kelly and Mr Kyle, both of Stewarton, died at the scene from multiple injuries.

Sheriff Alistair Watson ruled Ms Kelly was not to blame in any way for the accident in March this year, adding: "I must conclude on the evidence that the death of both drivers in this tragic accident was caused wholly by the manner of driving of Mr Kyle."

Outside court Ms Kelly's daughter Shona, 24, said she simply wanted to know the facts and sympathised with Mr Kyle's family, none of whom attended court.