A WAREHOUSE worker died after being crushed by a forklift truck at a supermarket distribution site.

Police said Joseph Ward, 55, a single man who lived in Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, died from head injuries at the Co-op distribution site on the Drum Industrial Estate, just north of the town, on Tuesday afternoon.

Colleagues called an ambulance but Mr Ward died at the scene.

Co-operative group spokesman Martin Henderson said Mr Ward had been with the company for 29 years and was qualified to drive the pallet truck involved in the accident.

Officers from Durham police investigations unit and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating.

Mr Henderson said: "The only thing that I can say at this stage is this is a very tragic accident which we are still coming to terms with ourselves. We obviously extend our sympathies to his family and will be making a full investigation into how the accident came to happen.

"Our main priority at the moment is to get to the bottom of how this accident occurred.

A post mortem examination was being held this week at the University Hospital of North Durham and an inquest was expected to be opened shorthly afterwards.