A six-year-old girl tragically died when she fell from a tractor driven by her father and was run over by the rear wheel, an inquest heard today.

Teal David, of Frieth, near Marlow, was crushed on a country lane at a beauty spot village in north Wales while on holiday with her father, Evan David, and other relatives.

The family had been on holiday in the Aberdaron area, at the tip of the Lleyn Peninsula of Gwynedd, last June – where her grandparents have a home – when a treat for three children turned to tragedy.

North West Wales senior coroner Dewi Pritchard-Jones, who concluded the death was due to misadventure, told the father: "It must have been a terrible experience for you.

“I can't think of anything worse happening to a father than what you have been through."

Mr David had taken Teal and two other children on his old red tractor when she fell off and hit the concrete on a downhill slope.

She did not get up and the 1966 Nuffield single-seat tractor then lurched forward over her.

Mr David recalled at the Caernarfon hearing: "We were going very, very slow. We were going towards my house and there is a little crossroads.

"We were going down this incline and the tractor jerked."

Teal had been standing on a footplate, a young child was on Mr David's lap, and a little boy on a toolbox behind the seat.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said :"My belief is Mr David applied the brakes as it was approaching the crossroads and this led to Teal being thrown forward - or possibly losing her balance.

"For a reason I can't find from the evidence, although we have put forward several guesses at what happened, the tractor lurched forward and Teal was run over.”

The website of Mr David’s veterinary company - which is based in Thame - describes him as a father-of-three, married to Clare.

Philip Jones, a police forensic vehicle examiner, told the inquest that there was no mechanical defect.

Michael Prime, a police forensic collision investigator, said the tragedy was probably caused by a combination of factors.

The tractor would easily roll downhill if not secured properly.

Mr David said: "I suppose you are right, sheer panic, a combination of things. It's one of those tractors, it's all hands."

Pathologist Dr Mark Lord said the large wheel had gone over Teal's chest causing severe crush injuries "which would have been virtually immediately fatal”.

Despite efforts to revive her "there was no realistic prospect of success”.

The coroner said: "Mr David was giving his children a treat of a ride on the tractor.

“As a child, I myself had several rides on tractors. But this entirely innocent and not reckless task led to the entirely unforeseen event of Teal falling off the tractor and suffering injuries that led to her death."

Mr David described Teal after the inquest as "a perfect little girl, loving and caring."

He thanked the police and Child Bereavement UK for their help following the tragedy.