Pets at Home forklift driver's death ruled as misadventure

Shaun Potter was airlifted to the Royal Stoke Hospital after being injured at the Campbell Road distribution centre

The death of a forklift driver whose head became trapped between the cab of his vehicle and a rack in a warehouse has been ruled as misadventure.

Shaun Potter, from Middleport, was trying to read a barcode on a pallet on 4 October at the Pets at Home centre on Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent.

The jury at his inquest heard as he stood in his cab, his head was outside of it when the forklift reversed.

He was taken to hospital with brain injuries and died four days later.

Being trapped between the roof of his forklift and the rack cut off the supply of oxygen to Mr Potter's brain, the inquest jury heard.

The 39-year-old suffered a hypoxic brain injury while a colleague tried to free him.

The emergency services were called and gave him treatment before he was airlifted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

At the time, Pets at Home said the firm was "devastated" by his death and described him as a "valued colleague" at their distribution centre.

Jurors reached their conclusion after a two-day hearing in Stoke-on-Trent which ended on Tuesday.