British expat killed & his wife fighting for life after horror crash in classic convertible sports car during rally

A BRITISH expat was killed and his wife seriously injured when their classic sports car crashed into a ditch during a rally in Italy. David Twaites, 82, was at the wheel of the racing green Austin Healey convertible when he reportedly lost control and ran off the road. The classic Austin Healey convertible crashed into a ditch in northern Italy His Swiss-born wife Henriette, 80, was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition. Londoner David – who was well known in the world of classic car restoration – and his wife were taking part in a rally called the Via Flaminia. They were heading with fellow British, Dutch and Belgian enthusiasts through northern Italy to Genoa where they were due to catch the ferry to Corsica. But David’s right-hand-drive Austin Healey crashed at 4pm on Thursday between Albonese and Mortara, southwest of Milan. Read more world news TRACTOR TRAGEDY At least 27 mainly women and children dead after trailer plunges into pond FOOTBALL MASSACRE Football riots leave at least 125 people dead after fans storm pitch It ran into a ditch on a straight stretch of road, reports La Provincia. Firefighters and other emergency crews found the couple unconscious when they arrived soon after. Henriette was flown to San Matteo hospital by helicopter, but David could not be saved. The couple lived in Switzerland, officials said. Most read in News OLIVIA 'MURDER' Man, 34, in court charged with murder of Olivia, 9, shot dead at home TRUSS 'U-TURN' Truss prepares to ditch scrapping 45p tax rate in climbdown after backlash READY TO LAUNCH Death convoy of Putin's elite nuke warriors on the move 'in signal to West' 'HEART OF A LION' Promising teen boxer dies in holiday tragedy days before 15th birthday DEATH WISH Russian TV dominated by nuclear war discussions after calls for nukes on Kyiv ZEALOT Eco-warrior ARRESTED after pouring poo on Cpt Tom memorial - as dad left 'ashamed' David was originally from South London and was a violinist in the Philharmonic Orchestra of Hong Kong, according to an online profile. Later he set up a workshop for restoring pre-War classic cars in Montreux, Switzerland. The Foreign Office said: “We are assisting the family of a British man who has died in Italy and are in contact with the local police.” The Via Flaminia rally sees 30 classic car lovers cruise through the winding roads of northern Italy and the Mediterranean island Corsica, enjoying local food and wine at each stop. It was established in 2005 and describes itself as the “rally with a smile”. Organisers say: “The Via Flaminia is a relaxed rally where the competition serves the atmosphere. Winning is not a goal in itself.”