THE driver of a heavy goods vehicle died of multiple injuries after being crushed between two lorries, an inquest was told.

Geoffrey Lawson, 51, was killed when his lorry started rolling down a slight incline trapping him against the body of a vehicle he was parking next to at the company's yard in Shildon, County Durham.

He was flown by air ambulance to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, for treatment to internal injuries and a deep cut to his right thigh, broken pelvis, and cuts and bruises to his head and body.

Home Office pathologist Dr Mark Egan said despite emergency operations and more than 30 blood transfusions, Mr Lawson died 36 hours after the accident due to multiple injuries and blood loss.

The inquest jury was told there was some confusion over the exact details of what happened, but the evidence indicated that Mr Lawson had not applied the handbrake before getting out of his cab.

Witness and work colleague Anthony Turner was sitting in the nearby lorry.

He said: "I looked in the cab and saw the handbrake was not engaged. I couldn't work out why or how it was off."

Paramedic Ian Young said Mr Lawson had told him he wasn't sure whether he had forgotten to put the hand- brake on or whether he had accidentally disengaged it climbing in or out of his truck.

Police vehicle expert PC Malcolm Thomas said: "There were no defects with the brake system on either the tractor or the trailer. Everything was in good working order and properly maintained."

Mr Lawson, of Byerley Road, Shildon, had returned to the goods yard of his employer, Dunn's Shildon Limited, when the accident happened in October last year.

The experienced driver had already started dropping the trailer legs and had apparently removed the locking pin on the fifth wheel, which connects the tractor to the trailer before he became trapped.

Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield recorded a verdict of accidental death after the jury returned a unanimous decision.