Power cable warning from coroner

Simon Lines had stood in the road warning other motorists

A coroner is to write to every UK energy company urging them to check all power cables following the death of a man in Shropshire.

Simon Lines, 20, of Prees, died several days after he was struck by a cable which had come loose in high winds.

An inquest in Shrewsbury heard the wire above the A49 in Prees had not been checked for 28 years.

Coroner John Ellery recorded a narrative verdict and said Mr Lines had died of head injuries.

Mr Ellery said information would also be given to BT and the Health and Safety Executive.

Struck by vehicles

Scottish Power, responsible for the cable, said all installations involving wooden battens were now being replaced.

In January this year the low-voltage cable had sagged and Mr Lines was standing on the A49 Whitchurch Road warning motorists when he was fatally injured.

A lorry struck the cable and knocked it to the ground. It was then hit by another vehicle and whipped around the head of Mr Lines.

The fitting used to attach the wire across the A49 had rotted and split, the inquest heard.

'Inspected with binoculars'

And the occupier of the house the cable was attached to said the supply company had not checked it since he lived there.

John Heathman, from Scottish Power, told the inquest installations such as this were inspected with binoculars.

The investigation, carried out by Scottish Power in Merseyside, north Wales and Shropshire, showed similar cables were being used at 110 locations across the region.

Mr Lines, who worked with his father Vincent at Prees Auto Services, died a few days after the accident despite undergoing three operations.