An inquest heard the driver in a fatal road accident claim that he was following advice from TV's Top Gear in trying to control his vehicle.

The 29-year-old driver was driving down a steep hill to Truro market in August 2007, when his truck which was towing a trailer containing bulls began snaking; this is where it swerves from side to side. He accelerated up to 65mph in an attempt to control his vehicle claiming that this was the advice given on Top Gear to bring the vehicle back under control in such a situation, but the snaking got worse and the vehicle crashed into a verge throwing the 85-year-old passenger from the vehicle who died later in hospital.

The inquest heard that the passenger had refused to wear a seatbelt but may well have survived the truck accident had he been wearing one.

The advice to accelerate out of snaking was described as a motoring myth at the inquest, with the Highway Code advising that the way to control swerving or snaking is to ease off the accelerator and reduce the vehicles speed gently until control is regained.

The Coroner said: “Mr Browne tried to correct his loss of control by accelerating out of the situation, which is contrary to the advice in the Highway Code.

"What has come out of all this is that it would be preferable if people who are going to drive trailers on the road take professional instruction before they begin."

A spokesman for Top Gear said: "Presenters are not professional drivers, giving advice is not something we do."

But he added he "couldn't be 100 per cent sure they hadn't said that".

Verdict: Accidental death.