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The deaths of two County Durham women killed when an inflatable artwork blew away were accidental, an inquest jury has ruled.Elizabeth Anne Collings, 68, and Claire Furmedge, 38, died after the Dreamspace artwork blew free in Chester-le-Street in July 2006.
North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle told the jury that the only verdict possible was one of accidental death.
The families of the two women said they were satisfied with the outcome.
Death of designer
The huge walk-in structure - half the size of a football pitch - took off in a gust of wind with 20 visitors inside.
Ms Furmedge, from Chester-le-Street, and Ms Collings, from Seaham, died from injuries suffered when they fell from the artwork. Several other people were seriously hurt.
The inquest heard that there were no detailed discussions about how the massive structure would be fixed to the ground.
The artwork's designer Maurice Agis has since died.
Coroner Andew Tweddle read the jury a statement Mr Agis made in 2006 in which he said he felt responsible and had also tried to hold it down.
Mrs Collings' daughter Susan Campbell told the inquest in Chester-le-Street that she saw Dreamspace break free with her mother inside and ran to the scene. Mrs Campbell said her mother and her teenage son had decided to go into Dreamspace after seeing it at Chester-le-Street's Riverside Park.
After the hearing the families of the two dead women issued a statement that said: "We are relieved that nearly four years since the deaths of our loved ones the inquest process has provided us with the answers we awaited.
"The inquest has demonstrated clear failures on the part of Maurice Agis, Chester-le-Street District Council and Brouhaha International.
Admitted offences
"The coroner has agreed to seek details of lessons learned by Chester-le-Street District Council and Brouhaha International and our hope is that these lessons prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
"We would like to thank all those who have supported us during the last four years and in particular those people who assisted our loved ones on the day of the tragedy."
Chester-le-Street District Council, which has since been replaced by Durham County Council and which staged the exhibition, was fined £20,000 after admitting health and safety offences.
Mr Agis originally faced two counts of manslaughter. But following a month-long trial, a jury failed to reach a verdict on the charges.
He had admitted failing to ensure the safety of the public and was fined £10,000.
His son Giles, executive director of events firm Brouhaha, which promoted the Dreamspace event, told the inquest the structure had been tied down with pegs.This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.