A lorry driver was today cleared of causing the death of four Sussex men in a horrific accident in Australia.

The tourists' parents missed the verdict at the Supreme Court in Townsville because they were visiting the crash scene to lay flowers.

Peter Standing, 21, from Hove, Martyn Hebblethwaite, 22, from Slinfold, his brother Benjamin, 26, from Horsham, and Tim Skipp, 23, from Horsham, died when the estate car they were travelling in was hit from behind by a lorry driven by Scott Anthony Pitkin.

Their relatives had been in court for the first three days of the trial but missed today's verdict after waiting more than 28 hours for a result.

Peter Standing's father, David, was shocked to hear the news, broken to him by the Argus.

He said: "That's unbelievable. At the moment my reaction is surprise. We are very upset and we feel that the evidence was quite compelling, having sat through it all in court.

"It was difficult to hear all the details but we felt the evidence was very, very strong and we are very surprised there's been an acquittal and we're disappointed."

Pitkin had denied the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death just after midnight on May 25 1999 along the Bruce Highway near Feluga, north of Tully.

His semi-trailer ploughed at 50mph into the rear of the rented Ford Falcon car which was stopped at a set of temporary traffic lights at roadworks.

The court heard the road was in good condition and no potholes were found. The jury was shown photographs and a video of the road and the two vehicles as they ended up after the crash near a cane field.

Mr Pitkin's trailer ended up on its side, while the car was almost unrecognisable, with its roof peeled forward.

The jury heard a taped interview with Mr Pitkin in which he said he did not see the vehicle nor did he see several signs warning of roadworks.

Mr Pitkin said: "I'm just going along and saw this red light and . . . backed off and then it turned to green and . . . didn't see any cars or anything like that."

Lorry driver David Morgan, who was travelling several minutes behind Mr Pitkin at the time of the smash, told the court Mr Pitkin was in shock when he arrived at the scene.

Mr Morgan said road conditions on the night of the crash were tricky, with reflection from the traffic lights making it difficult to judge distance.

When asked by Mr Pitkin's barrister, Mark Donelly, whether he felt he would have been in the stand if his and Mr Pitkin's positions on the road had been reversed, Mr Morgan replied: "Yes."