Platform 'killed Wembley worker'

The stadium was opened in 2007

A carpenter working on Wembley Stadium died when a platform fell more than 300ft (92m) on top of him, an inquest has been told.

Patrick O'Sullivan, 54, from Ealing, west London, was trapped under the platform and later died.

A memorial to Mr O'Sullivan, who died in January 2004, was unveiled at the 90,000-seater stadium in north-west London, earlier this month.

The inquest at Hornsey Coroner's Court is scheduled to last four days.

The court was told a crane carrying a concrete skip snagged on the platform - which was attached to a tower - bringing it crashing to the ground.

Thunderous noise

Steel worker David Bailey told the court how he heard concrete pouring out of the skip and construction workers running out of the way.

He told the court: "It was the noise that I heard. It was a loud thunderous noise.

"When I turned around I saw the concrete was falling pretty quickly out of the skip.

"The rope that opens the skip was waving about quite a bit. Then the tower just fell off the top of the core and very, very quickly hit the deck.

"As it landed I saw Paddy and Ray. I thought they were right underneath it."

Players' tunnel

Mr O'Sullivan, who was originally from Cork in the Republic of Ireland, suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene.

The jury heard the concrete was being used to make the players' tunnel at the stadium, which opened in 2007.

The court also heard from Mr O'Sullivan's wife Mary, 58, who said her husband was in good health apart from slight deafness.

The Health and Safety Executive is carrying out an investigation into his death.

The hearing continues.