A CREWE man was crushed to death under a ton load which fell from machinery operated by untrained staff, an inquest heard on Tuesday.

A jury returned a verdict of accidental death of Gary Dawson, a 32-year-old window fabricator, who was working overtime at a Weatherseal factory in Winsford when the accident occurred last January.

During the inquest at Crewe Magistrates on Tuesday, coroner John Hibbert heard how loaded crates fell on top of Mr Dawson from a fork lift truck after snagging on the door of a nearby skip.

The side-loading stacker was driven by supervisor David Lander, from Winsford, who, it was revealed, wasn't qualified to operate it.

Mr Lander, who was taken to hospital to be treated for shock, said he was trained for a different type of stacker.

"I have driven stacker machines in the past," he said.

"I took a stacker driving test and passed two tests. I understand that once I had passed them my licence would be valid.

"The driver's view is restricted when the truck is loaded so I went to drop the crates because I wasn't sure I was in the right place. But as I went to drop them the crates pivoted and one fell."

Weatherseal production manager Lawrence Griffiths paid tribute to Mr Dawson.

"He was an excellent worker who always displayed an enthusiastic attitude to employees and had tremendous drive," he said.

"He motivated his team very well and was well respected and highly thought of."

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