What began as a dream hiking trip through one of Majorca’s most spectacular gorges ended in tragedy after two British travellers were swept to their deaths by a sudden wall of water.

Alexander Barrett, 32, and his partner Sarah Thompson, 26, had joined friends for a challenging but popular descent through the Torrent de Pareis canyon in the Tramuntana mountains on the 3rd of September last year.

Both were experienced outdoor lovers; Mr Barrett was a climbing instructor and lifeguard, and Ms Thompson was a skilled trail runner.

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The couple started their hike on a warm and calm day, however, it turned deadly when the storm clouds gathered above.

An inquest in Stockport has now heard how the couple were caught in flash flooding that funnelled down the narrow gorge with terrifying speed and force. Fellow hiker Luke Weaver, a friend and climbing partner of Mr Barrett, described how conditions changed in an instant.

“At this point the heavens opened,” he said.

“At this time the water was flowing like a small river.”

Mr Weaver had dropped off the group earlier that morning and was attempting to catch up after being delayed in traffic. By the time he entered the canyon, rain had begun to fall. Still, the forecast had predicted storms only later in the evening, and no one in the group expected danger.

The Mirror reported that just after 2.30pm, thunder echoed through the mountains. Mr Weaver spotted the group who were now joined by two Spanish nationals and a German couple, in a bottleneck between two boulders. Mr Weaver recounted that he checked on Ms Thompson to see if she was okay, and she nervously smiled and said she was fine.

It was only seconds later that one of the hikers shouted a warning, “water!”

“A massive wall of water came down the gorge,” Mr Weaver said.

“The water appeared to come from nowhere. The sound was incredibly loud. People were screaming.”

Mr Weaver said that he recalled seeing one hiker clinging to a rock and another being swept away by the torrent. Ms Thompson and Mr Barrett were both seen being carried by the strong current.

“I was shouting and screaming for the others. I could see no one,” Mr Weaver told the court.

“Everyone who survived that day is incredibly lucky, especially those who got caught in the water. I have never experienced anything like this and it is something I will never forget.”

Ms Thompson’s body was found the following day. Mr Barrett’s was recovered three days later in the same canyon. Post-mortem examinations confirmed that both died by drowning.

Assistant coroner Jyoti Gill concluded that the storm had caused flash flooding in the gorge, dragging Ms Thompson away as Mr Barrett tried to help her. She recorded verdicts of accidental death for both.

Ms Thompson was described by her father, Peter Thompson, as someone “never without a smile”.

Mr Barrett’s father, Paul Rodman, said his son “loved life” and lived it with kindness and courage.

“The friends and family have developed a little saying: ‘Be more like Alex.’ He’s missed so much by all his friends and family.”

The survivors were airlifted from the canyon with minor injuries. A suppression order remains in place over some details of the case.