Trucker Allan Leaver was crushed to death by his own lorry on the day before he was due to book his wedding.

Allan, 52, died after he stepped from his cab to open the gates of a sewage works and his tanker rolled forward.

He was trapped for more than 20 minutes before a worker at the plant, near Houghton-le-Spring, on Wearside, was alerted and called the emergency services.

It was too late to save Mr Leaver, of Spennymoor, County Durham, who died from his injuries.

His fiancee, Mary Riley, 55, said: "We had been engaged for two years and on Saturday we were due to finalise our wedding plans. We were going to book a local hotel for the reception.

"I just cannot believe it has happened. He was a very careful man and an excellent driver.

"I am just trying to get my head around the fact he is not here any more. There has to be a thorough investigation."

Ms Riley, who works at Black and Decker, in Spennymoor, said: "He has driven all his life and never had an accident to speak of.He was always very careful and we cannot believe this has happened."

The couple were due to marry in September and had planned an exotic honeymoon in Hawai.

An investigation has been launched into the accident by Northumbria Water, which owns the sewage works.

Ms Riley said they had been about to tell family and friends of their plans to marry.

She said: "He was full of life, the kindest man you would ever meet."

Mr Leaver, a long-serving member of the Territorial Army, work-ed for British Rail for 22 years, before leaving to become a lorry driver.