An inquest has heard how a scaffolder died as a result of becoming crushed by a forklift truck with a dodgy handbrake.

Shaun Flynn, 36 a scaffolder from Rothwell died in hospital from his injuries sustained at premises of his Northampton-based employer Boss Scaffolding on 20 June 2016.

Northampton Coroner’s Court heard he had been using the forklift truck before he became trapped. He had head, neck and brain injuries. The assistant coroner said Flynn, had left the vehicle to make some checks when it rolled forward.

He became trapped between the forklift and a lorry, causing severe injuries which affected his brain stem. Flynn was taken by air ambulance to University Hospital Coventry.

Shaun Flynn’s mother Janice gave evidence at the inquest, she described her son as a “gentle giant, joker and a hard worker”. On the day of the accident, she said Flynn was able to communicate when family members arrived at the hospital.

He had been in “good spirits,” she said, despite his pain and told her he was sorry for taking a “risk” by using the forklift truck, which he said had a “dodgy” handbrake “that hadn’t worked for weeks”.

After the family returned home that day, he had a heart attack and was placed in an induced coma before his death on 25 June.

The consultant neurologist, Mr. Muhammad Siddique, said he agreed with a post-mortem examination which concluded he had suffered a hypoxic-anoxic brain injury.

The doctor said it was likely Mr Flynn had suffered a heart attack as a “natural evolution” of his injuries because the brain stem helps control breathing and heart rate.

The inquest continues.