Claw death a 'misunderstanding'

A 24-year-old man was crushed to death by a crane at a scrap metal yard after a misunderstanding with the crane driver, an inquest has heard.

Barry Collins, from Southampton, was visiting the yard with his brother Joey last August to buy a van for parts.

The brothers were inside the van when a crane used to move vehicles started up.

Joey Collins said he shouted to the driver but he mistakenly thought he wanted the vehicle moved and the claw grabbed the cab, crushing his brother.

'Tragic misunderstanding'

Crane driver Colin Anteney, who had worked at the James Huntley and Sons scrapyard in Sholing for eight years, said he had not seen Barry Collins before he was spotted in the van.

Describing the incident, he said: "I saw Joey appear from the right hand of the cab and he said 'Can you grab the van off'.

"I am 99% sure I never saw Barry at all, so I never had no reason to believe Barry was in the van.

"I picked it up 10ft in the air - then I heard someone shouting."

Coroner Keith Wiseman said: "There is common ground that there was a tragic misunderstanding."

The inquest is continuing.

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