Truck driver died after fainting at wheel and crashing into house

Paul Cartwright's DAF Truck was seen 'drifting' on the road in Stourport, as if he had lost consciousness.

Mr Cartwright died when the truck left Bewdley Road in Stourport and crashed into railings and a tree on January 5. The 46-year-old had been wearing his seatbelt but the seat was unstable and 'cancelled out' the effect of the belt, the inquest heard. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The inquest in Stourport heard Mr Cartwright, of Coates Road, Kidderminster, had a history of disease which had left problems with a valve in his heart.

A post mortem found the father-of-two's heart was significantly enlarged indicating he had likely suffered an episode, which caused him to faint at the wheel.

Witness Peter Middlemore described seeing the lorry cross onto the opposite side of the road by 'about two feet' before turning toward the curb.

The lorry then mounted the pavement and sped up slightly, smashing through railings and a hedge before hitting a tree and coming to a halt, he said.

Coroner Geraint Williams said several other witnesses had described the lorry 'drifting'.

Tim Tritton, the collision investigator in the case, found some of the bolts were loose and others were missing from the driver's seat. He said this would have allowed the seat to move, cancelling out the effect of the seat belt. But the coroner told the family the chair had been checked nine days before the accident.

Coroner Williams concluded Mr Cartwright's death was accidental. He said: "There was nothing he could have done."