A man who was 'obsessed' with lorries was electrocuted when the crane arm of his truck hit overhead power cables, an inquest has heard.

Eastern Daily Press: Police at an incident in Frettenham in 2015 where Gary Henry was electrocuted. Picture: ANTONY KELLYPolice at an incident in Frettenham in 2015 where Gary Henry was electrocuted. Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2015)

Gary Henry, 52, had been hired to move a metal shipping container at a builders' yard with high-voltage power cables running over it in the village of Frettenham, around six miles north of Norwich, a hearing at Norfolk Coroner's Court in Norwich heard on Monday.

Father-of-five Mr Henry, of Newton Road, Hainford, was treated by paramedics but died at the scene on November 18, 2015.

He had left school at 15, worked with his father in transport for around three years then set up his own crane hire business called Hiab Hire.

His partner Amanda Peek said he ran a fleet of four lorries and loved his work.

Eastern Daily Press: Funeral of Gary Henry at Hainford All Saints Church. Picture: ANTONY KELLYFuneral of Gary Henry at Hainford All Saints Church. Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2015)

'He was obsessed with lorries,' she said in a written statement. 'It was more than just a business.'

She said he was a 'brilliant dad' and added: 'His kids thought the world of him.'

Adrian Dolman, who had hired Mr Henry to move one storage unit 4ft closer to another to allow for a workshop to be built between them, said he had warned Mr Henry of the power cables.

In a written statement, Mr Dolman said he became aware something was wrong when another contractor shouted 'lorry on fire'.

'I looked round and saw the flames coming out of the offside of the lorry by the cab,' said Mr Dolman, who is the sole director of T&C Construction (SE) Ltd, based in Buxton Road, Frettenham. 'Gary was at the controls on the nearside.

'He was being electrocuted. He was shaking.'

A post-mortem examination recorded the medical cause of death as electrocution and a jury returned a conclusion of misadventure after around 20 minutes of deliberation.

HSE inspector Keith Waller said an HSE investigation concluded Mr Dolman and Mr Henry 'did not assess the risk of the situation appropriately'.

The overhead cables were buried last autumn and are no longer accessible, Mr Waller said.

Mr Henry had passed a competency test with 100pc two years previously.

Mr Waller said the cables, and their height, were within specification. 'The trees could have made it difficult to see the cables,' he added.