BBC News Online: UK: England

Man killed in pit accident

It happened underground at Stillingfleet mine on Tuesday.

Police were called to the pit by paramedics at 1825 GMT.

Anthony Poulton, 40, from Swallownest near Sheffield had suffered a serious leg injury in an accident involving machinery.

Colleagues shocked

He had been setting up reinforcing archways in a tunnel three miles from the bottom of the pit when there was a coal fall.

Police say he was so far underground that it would have taken an hour to reach him.

He was treated by a medical team, but lost consciousness and later died.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police told BBC News Online: "It will take a while for the circumstances to emerge because his colleagues are in shock."

Work halted

The Health and Safety Inspectorate are gathering evidence at the mine which is part of the Selby coal complex - Europe's largest.

The Selby coroner is being informed on Wednesday.

North Yorkshire police stress that the incident is being treated as an accident.

It is understood Mr Poulton was an experienced tunneller employed by mining specialists Amco.

Miners decided not to work on Wednesday as a mark of respect.