HEALTH and safety officials have issued a warning to garage owners following the death of a mechanic who became trapped in an accident with a car ramp.

Jason David Raine collapsed and died days after an accident at his car repair business, Club Motors, in Easington, County Durham, last year.

A jury inquest at Hartlepool Coroner's Court yesterday heard how the 35-year-old was standing inches from a car ramp while one of his colleagues was attempting to drive a car on.

The Nissan Serena, an automatic, jumped forward and rode over the stop bars of the ramp, trapping Mr Raine between the front of the car and a tool box.

He suffered massive bruising to his right thigh in the July 5 accident, and, although sent home from hospital four days later to recover, he collapsed and died.

The inquest heard he suffered deep vein thrombosis to the right leg, which had been caused by the accident and the fact he had become immobile.

The 6ft 4in mechanic, of Little Thorpe, Easington, east Durham, was also overweight, which contributed to the problem.

Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out investigations following his death on July 13, but yesterday both said the incident was a "tragic accident" and said no further proceedings would follow.

However, HSE inspector David Shallow said: "The key thing is to keep people out of the way when you are moving vehicles on and off the ramp.

"It's very rare that vehicles go off the end, but it has been known.

"If no one is standing near the ramp and it does happen, then at least no one will be hurt."

In a statement from mechanic Charles Sargeant, who attended the inquest yesterday, he said he was attempting to get the car on the ramp, when it jerked forward.

He said the car had failed its MOT the night before and another colleague had commented then, while attempting to get the car off the ramp, that the accelerator was "all or nothing".

He said he could not get the rear wheels on the ramp, so had to push further on the accelerator.

However, he said it all happened in a "split second".

"There was nothing I could do to stop the car," he said.

He said Mr Raine, his boss, was pinned between the car and the tool box and was clearly in some distress. He was taken to Sunderland Royal Infirmary soon afterwards.

Mr Sargeant suffered from shock.

The inquest heard how Mr Raine's wife, Gillian, had been present at the garage, in Seaside Lane, at the time.

She said that afterwards, in hospital, while her husband was in a lot of pain, he was adamant that the incident had been an accident.

She said her husband had said: "It was just an accident. It could have been me who was driving the car onto the ramp, or any of the lads."

Mrs Raine said she received a call on July 13, asking her to return home. When she arrived, she found her husband collapsed on the floor. He was suffering breathing problems and was shaking violently.

He was taken to the University Hospital of Hartlepool, but is believed to have died in the ambulance.

The jury found Mr Raine died as a result of an accident.

Neither Mrs Raine or Mr Sargeant wished to comment afterwards