A NORTH-EAST bomb disposal expert said he had a “funny feeling” moments before he was killed by a hidden 40kg device in Afghanistan, an inquest heard yesterday.

Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Sergeant Major Charlie Wood, from Middlesbrough, died when he was caught in a bomb blast on December 28, last year.

It was only three days after he had organised Christmas dinner and an appearance by Father Christmas for his men, as well as the clearance of a 20kg bomb.

The inquest heard the advanced search advisor, of 23 Pioneer Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, was serving with the Counter-Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) Task Force as part of two teams on a mission to clear IEDs from “route Ayrshire” .

The 34-year-old’s group, working alongside an Afghan National Police (ANP) IED search team, had left the patrol base in Nahidullah, in the Babaji District looking to establish a new checkpoint. The ANP found and destroyed one device, but about 300 metres further on, the second bomb exploded, killing WO2 Wood.

The inquest heard there was a loud explosion and a dust cloud. Private Craig Williams was nearest to WO2 Wood when it happened.

He said: “He came to check the kit, then pushed round to the right hand side and turned round and said he had a ‘funny feeling’ about the route. That’s when the explosion happened.”

A post-mortem examination revealed that WO2 Wood, who stepped on the pressure plate device, suffered “unsurvivable injuries”.

Concerns were raised during the inquest that the team did not have a search dog.

However, his colleagues said WO2 Wood would have had a good reason not to use a dog.

It might have been because they get tired over long periods.

Corporal Jamie Hewitson, of 23 Pioneer Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, was the search team commander on the day of his death. “He was a perfectionist,” he said. “He always strived to achieve the highest standards. He was a very good commander.”

WO2 Wood’s wife Heather, parents Barbara and John and one of his sisters attended the inquest in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

Coroner David Ridley, who recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, read out tributes from WO2 Wood’s colleagues.

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Davis, commanding officer of the Counter-IED Task Force, said: “He was always on the go, constantly thinking ahead, planning the next stage and working out how best to achieve the mission.

“And who did he do this for?

Certainly not himself – he did it for his men.”