POLICE confirmed last night that a lorry driver had suffered a fatal heart attack before his wagon plummeted down a ravine.

A post-mortem examination at Darlington Memorial Hospital yesterday showed that Geoffrey Young had suffered a cardiac arrest just minutes after picking up a wagon-load of cattle from a farm at Ettersgill, in Teesdale, County Durham.

The 52-year-old, from Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, was pronounced dead at the scene by local doctors.

Firefighters spent more than three hours cutting the cattle free from the wreckage, but two of the 15 animals died in the crash.

Police believe that Mr Young suffered the coronary as he drove up a steep climb in Brumwell Street, just yards from the farm where he had collected the animals.

His Scania lorry rolled back down the hill before hitting a steel and concrete partition and flipping on to its side.

The 16-tonne wagon had just picked up the animals from a nearby farm and was delivering them to a mart when the accident happened, at about 11am on Monday.

Police have confirmed that the driver died of natural causes, so an inquest will not be held. However, anyone who saw the accident is asked to call them on 0191-386 4929.