Gwyneth Paltrow ski crash trial: Accuser heard 'blood-curdling scream'

A man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a ski accident heard a "blood-curdling scream" shortly before the collision, a court in Utah has heard.

Terry Sanderson, 76, said it sounded "like someone was out of control" and he had never been hit so hard skiing.

He accuses the actress of being responsible for the 2016 crash and is seeking damages of $300,000 (£245,000)

Ms Paltrow, 50, has denied being responsible and countersued for $1 and her legal costs.

A ski instructor told the jury on Monday that the actress was not a reckless skier.

• Who's who in the Gwyneth Paltrow ski crash trial

Testifying on Friday, Ms Paltrow had said the incident in Park City, Utah, left her with a sore knee and she got a massage afterwards.

On Monday, Mr Sanderson described hearing the scream in the moments before the collision, saying: "It was like somebody was out of control and going to hit a tree and was going to die."

He said he had never been struck so hard while skiing, describing the crash as a "serious, serious smack".

Mr Sanderson also told the court he had suffered physical, mental and emotional injuries from the accident, describing himself being a "self-imposed recluse" since.

He said these medical issues had changed his relationships with his children, as well as contributing to his split from his partner and losing friends.

A lawyer for Terry Sanderson told the jury last week that the Hollywood actress's "reckless" actions had caused the collision on the slopes of Deer Valley ski resort.

Describing the aftermath, Mr Sanderson told the court he remembered hearing a "very angry" male voice accusing him of being at fault for the collision, which was later said to be that of Deer Valley ski instructor Eric Christiansen.

Mr Sanderson said the man had been "insistent" he was the "bad guy" in the situation and had been trying to bully him.

In his own testimony, Mr Christiansen said it was "ridiculous" to claim he had been hostile towards Mr Sanderson, given instructors who get into confrontations with guests "don't last" at the ski resort.

He told the jury Ms Paltrow was not a "reckless" or "dangerous" skier and was skilled at "making short radius turns".

Mr Christiansen, who was teaching Ms Paltrow's son Moses on the day, said that neither she nor Mr Sanderson had asked for assistance from a ski patrol after the incident.

He said if anyone had asked for help "that would have changed everything", as when people are hurt ski patrol must be called to take statements and assess the extent of the injuries.

Mr Christiansen also denied there had been a "cover-up" to protect the actress.

The trial continues.