A DELIVERY driver died when his head became trapped between the back of his lorry and its tail lift at a Dudley shopping centre, an inquest has heard.

Gary Leslie Pickering, aged 34 of Chepstow Road, Swinton, was making a delivery at the Churchill precinct when the fatal accident occurred on Tuesday September 10, 2013.

Mr Pickering was attempting to get the tail lift into the correct position - after it had become stuck on the loading bay at the Home Bargains delivery area - when it snapped back and trapped him.

He was found two hours later by a security guard.

The inquest at Smethwick Council House heard that the night before Mr Pickering's death, fellow TJ Morris driver Paul Finch had used the same trailer when he made a delivery to the Dudley store.

Members of the jury were shown CCTV footage of Mr Finch's delivery, which showed him using both hands to pull out the tail lift.

The footage then showed him quickly move his hands out of the way as it suddenly sprung back.

In a written statement read out during the hearing, Mr Finch, who has worked for the company for six years, said: "It nearly took my hands off" and added he "hadn't been told" that could happen.

Mr Finch said before he embarked on the delivery, he had checked the machinery was working and "didn't notice" anything wrong with it and was aware of the company's procedure for reporting faults.

Another driver, Steve Owen told the inquest that although Dudley wasn't regarded as "the worst delivery point", he had found the lighting "a bit hit and miss", adding: "There have been occasions where it was pitch dark."

Poor lighting was also mentioned by driver Terry Woodacre, who said when he asked a security guard why, he was told the lights were on a timer which the guards had no access to.

The inquest continues.