The husband of a woman killed while on holiday has spoken of the ordeal of giving evidence at the trial of the men accused of causing her death.

Charlie Metcalf returned to Brazil to see two boat pilots go on trial for the UK equivalent of manslaughter.

His wife, Gillian, was killed when a boat the family was in crashed into another one on the Rio Negro in September, 2013.

Mr Metcalf, of Plummer Lane, Tenterden, sat just feet from the two pilots when they appeared in court in Manaus.

“It was very traumatic returning there and giving my evidence,” he said.

“It was an ordeal having to go through that day again, but I feel we have made some progress.”

"It was an ordeal having to go through that day again, but I feel we have made some progress..." - Charlie Metcalf

The trial of boatmen Raimundo Nonato Lima and Mailson Gomes was adjourned after a day until August 3 as a number of witnesses had not turned up. Neither man has given evidence.

“It is so frustrating that the trial was not finished but I feel we have made progess,” said Mr Metcalf.

“I just can’t understand why the witnesses were not there.”

He and one of his daughters, Alice, have given their evidence and Mr Metcalf said an expert witness also gave evidence, saying both boatmen had been at fault.

“It is all very favourable and points towards convictions, but you never know,” he said.

“I have had my chance to put my side and feel good about that.

“I want to be there when the boatmen give their evidence and to be able to question them myself through a Brazilian lawyer.

“I just hope that there will be a decision in August.”

Mr Metcalf, his wife and their daughters Natasha and Alice were on holiday and were on the Rio Negro on their way to the hotel Juma Jungle Lodge in Rio Preto da Eva when the boats crashed.

Mrs Metcalf, a 50-year-old lawyer, died from head injuries.

Alice accompanied her father back to Brazil for the trial.

After the hearing had been adjourned, they stayed on to visit Juma Jungle Lodge, where they had been heading, and Rio de Janeiro.

They return to the UK today.

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