Trent man died after being run over by trailer

A council worker was killed when he was hit by a van being driven by a colleague and run over by the trailer it was towing, an inquest has heard.

Craig Pointon, from Sneyd Green, Stoke-on-Trent, suffered fatal head injuries in the incident on Canal Lane, Longport, on 30 May 2022.

Following an inquest held on Monday and Tuesday, a jury found the 50-year-old died as a result of a road traffic collision.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council said Mr Pointon, who had worked for the authority for almost 25 years, was a "highly valued" colleague and described his death as a "tragic accident".

The inquest heard Mr Pointon was on Canal Lane in Longton to cut grass verges when the van's driver, Robert Dean, pulled up and had a brief conversation before he started to drive away.

Mr Pointon was then said to have been struck by a mudguard on the vehicle and appeared to collapse underneath the trailer, with the van travelling about 7.5m before being stopped.

The inquest heard that it was "quite impossible" for Mr Dean to have reacted quickly enough to avoid the incident.

Delivering its conclusion on Tuesday, the jury said Mr Pointon was "run over by both the nearside trailer wheels, resulting in fatal haemorrhages" and said his death was a result of a road traffic collision.

The city council has made a number of changes following the incident, including a 45-minute competency driving test and tighter rules around the corporate induction for new starters, the inquest was told.

A spokesperson for the authority said Mr Pointon was a "much respected" colleague.

"He was a highly valued member of the grounds maintenance team and is sorely missed. Our thoughts remain with his family and friends," they added.

"This was a tragic accident that the jury has concluded was caused by a road traffic collision. We have offered support to staff who were involved in the incident as well as our wider family of staff."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.