Mechanic died after being trapped under his own car
An engineer who was working on his car tragically died when he accidentally pulled the vehicle on top of him, an inquest heard.
Stephen Millington, aged 53, from Halesowen, was underneath his Alfa Romeo at premises in Quarry Bank where he worked part time as a mechanic when the accident happened.
Mr Millington's friend Paul Bate, who shared the workshop with him, found him underneath the car on October 11 last year.
Mr Bate said: "He was working on the roll bar and it's very close to the sub frame so he had to take that off.
"There was a 3ft bar by him so what I think happened was he was using the bar to pull it and it fell on top of him.
Mr Bate said Mr Millington, who lived at Hanley Close, would often rush his work as he juggled working as a mechanic with his full-time job as a hospital engineer.
He added: "The day before he had been there alone to work on his car and was going to his caravan for the night before picking up a car in Bewdley for an MOT.
"I got there about 9.15am and the gates were unlocked, but I was expecting to see a Mondeo there, not his car.
"I could see his legs sticking out from under the car. I jacked it up straight away and then went to the motorbike shop next door to call an ambulance."
Jamie Davies, an inspector from the Health and Safety Executive, said Mr Millington was carrying out the work on uneven ground when the accident happened.
He said: "The ground was sloped to the side and it was a combination of soft and hard standing."
The inspector added Mr Millington had used a bolt to secure the axle stand in place instead of the correct key, but said it did not break.
Robin Balmain, senior coroner for the Black Country, said: "He was using a bar to carry out the work on the subframe by pulling it, and was pulling the car off the stands.
"He was a hard-working man always running around, but unfortunately the way he was working wasn't very safe and it seems to me that what Mr Bate said was right."
He said the medical cause of Mr Millington's death was asphyxia after being trapped under a car, and recorded a conclusion that his death was an accident.
Louise Peters, Mr Millington's step-daughter, said: "He was always on a high that's just how he was.
"He was a hard working man and just wanted the best for everybody.
"His mother was in a care home and he was trying to take that on as well.
"I just hope it was quick and he didn't suffer but I know no one can answer that, I just hate the thought of him lying there."
