An inquest has opened into the death of a Wigan man killed in the Lisbon funicular disaster

William Nelson, 44, and Kayleigh Smith, 36, from Macclesfield, were among 16 to lose their lives when the hillside tram in the Portuguese capital derailed and crashed into a building on September 3 during the evening rush hour.

They had only arrived in the country for a holiday the day before and were passengers on the historic 150-year-old Elevador da Gloria vehicle when the collision occurred.

A litany of safety failings have since been exposed by initial investigations into the tragedy, including the fact that a cable that snapped, which was only installed last year, had never been certified.

And when it broke, safety systems cut power to the car, meaning the pneumatic brake no longer worked.

Will, as everyone knew him, taught drama at the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester and had in recent years appeared in and given technical advice to several Wigan Little Theatre productions.

It was at the city’s theatre school that he met Kayleigh, herself a theatre director.

His funeral was held earlier this month at Wigan crematorium followed by a wake at Whelley Ex-Servicemen’s Club.

Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner, opened both inquests at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington on Wednesday (October 22) during which the pair’s identities were confirmed along with basic details of the circumstances of their deaths.

The hearing was then adjourned for the preparation of reports and a full inquest for the couple together was scheduled to take place on May 5 next year.

Following the tragedy, family and friends took to social media to pay tribute to Will.

His brother Gareth wrote: “Will Nelson was not just my big brother, but everyone’s. He was always kind, selfless and protective and the world does not feel right or normal without him.

"He was, and has always been, my hero and we will miss you always.”

Wigan Little Theatre wrote: “We are all saddened by the news that Will and his partner Kayleigh had sadly passed away in the recent crash in Lisbon.

"Will has been a massive part of the WLT family since joining us a few years ago and our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to both families in this difficult time.”

Rachel Curry, principal of UCEN Manchester under which the Arden School of Theatre falls, said: “Will inspired thousands of students across The Arden School of Theatre to pursue their dreams and ambitions during his seven years with us.

"Will had an incredible knowledge of his craft, particularly of playwrights and the history of theatre, being a constant source of rich information on this for students and colleagues.

"He was a such a positive and committed advocate for developing student talent and supporting his colleagues.”

Gareth also wrote of Will’s partner: “Kayleigh was a smart, talented and lovely human being who my family loved dearly.

"She made my brother Will Nelson whole and will be dearly missed.”