An inquest began this week into the death of Billie Holiday Clayton, nine, who was on the River Wye in Powys with her twin brother Edward and father when the accident happened on April 12 2006.

Her father, writer and broadcaster Ian Clayton, 48, of Ackton Lane, was at the three-day inquest – due to end as the Express went to press yesterday – with his partner, the twins' mother, Heather Parkinson.

The family were told they were the first and last customers of Hays Canoes and its boss Wayne Sheppard, from Beacon, said he had no idea that conditions were so bad on the day of the accident.

He told the couple: "If I had thought it was dangerous, I wouldn't have let you on the river, Mr Clayton. That's gospel.

"I've got children of my own. I've got grandchildren of my own."

His business partner Derek Price added: "I'm very sorry about this accident. I would swear on this Bible. I've five children of my own. I'm deeply sorry about it. I'm so sorry."

The inquest heard the last time the businessmen had canoed on the river between Glasbury and Hay-on-Wye, where the Claytons were heading, was in late 2004 or early 2005, before the formation of an ox bow lake which affected the current.

They had bought new equipment, including safety helmets and lifejackets, when setting up the company but did not need a licence as they were not providing instruction, just renting out the canoes.

Mr Clayton previously told the inquest of the agonising decision he faced of which child to save first when their boats capsized after taking a wrong turn.

He said his son Edward was left clinging to branches but he could see no sign of Billie.

He said: "It is something that has been in my mind for two years and two months. Did I make the right decision? I don't know and I suppose I will never know.

"Should I go for the one I can see and hope that later I can find the one I can't see? In the end I went for the one I could see. It wasn't without difficulty getting him out."

He added: "When I eventually got to Edward in the river that day, the first thing he said to me was 'save my sister first'.

"It is hard to imagine what must have been going through that little lad's mind for him to say that."

Both Mr Clayton and his son were treated for hypothermia after escaping the fast-flowing currents where firefighters later found Billie.

Mr Clayton told the firefighter who found her, Richard Wildee, at the inquest: "It's the first time I've had the chance to thank you for what you did.

"I thank you for your local knowledge. I thank you for taking time on your day off, and I just thank you, for you were the one who found her, really.

"I spent a long time fighting the water trying to find her, and I couldn't. So thank you for finding her."