A LABOURER was killed after being crushed by a falling wall at an award-winning open farm, an inquest has heard.

Steven Ratcliffe, 43, was working on a development at Hall Hill Farm, Lanchester, when the two-tonne wall collapsed on top of him.

A jury at Crook Coroner’s Court yesterday heard that the cause of death was head and chest injuries as a result of the incident on September 14, 2015.

The inquest, attended by his wife Marie Walker, who held up a framed picture of her late husband, was told the builder had been working on the part-demolition and refurbishment of a toilet block with two other men.

Health and Safety Executive specialist inspector Ian Whitfield said there were a number of reasons why the near two metre long stretch of wall could have toppled.

These included weather conditions and the shallow foundations, in what was a former pig pen.

He told jurors that photographs of the scene showed tools, including a spade and long chisel, near to where the wall fell.

But he said it was unclear if Mr Ratcliffe had been using them at the time or if they were later used in the aftermath to lift rubble.

Mr Whitfield said that an internal wall and roof had been removed which would have left the free-standing wall in an unstable state, posing a risk of danger at any time.

Jonathan Neesam is a director of Mike Neesam and Son Ltd, which was contracted to carry out the improvement works at the tourist attraction.

He was on site with Mr Ratcliffe and another employee on the morning of the incident.

He told the inquest that he told both employees to stay “well away” from the external wall of the toilet block, which he intended to demolish.

Mr Ratcliffe was tasked with removing debris from part of the building while he unloaded a delivery behind the building with the other workman, the inquest was told.

But Mr Neesam said that when he returned to the front of the building Mr Ratcliffe was standing in a trench with a spade in his hand in front of the unstable wall.

The jurors were told that he shouted to him to move and, as he did so, the labourer tried to leap up from where he was but the wall fell onto him.

Mr Neesam said he could “only assume” Mr Ratcliffe had been digging as part of works to the drainage system.

The court heard a wheelbarrow which would have been used to clear debris was not in a close proximity to Mr Ratcliffe.

He added that a long chisel was used to help leaver up the rubble.

Questions were also raised over what risk assessments were carried out and a lack of a structural survey on the building .

The inquest continues.