The employer of a teenager who was crushed to death by a forklift truck has been blasted by a coroner for failing to act on safety issues exposed by the accident.

Zachariah Richardson was 18 years old when he died while working unsupervised at Elm Farm in Shipdham, near Dereham, after becoming crushed between a forklift truck and a wall on the site.

After a four-day inquest a jury concluded his death had been accidental, with the exact circumstances leading up to his death remaining unclear.

However, senior coroner Jacqueline Lake hit out at his employers - Lincs Firewood and DD Dodd and Sons - over how the companies responded to the tragic incident.

She said: "I have heard nothing to suggest that any action has been taken since the incident, so I am not satisfied any has been."

Mrs Lake added that she will be issuing the companies, both owned by Evan Jenkins, with reports to prevent future deaths.

Her comments came after it emerged an independent health and safety inspection conducted in the months following the teenager's death had highlighted further concerns.

Mrs Lake said: "Rebecca Brooks [who carried out the inspection] said Mr Jenkins and his staff had little understanding of the importance of health and safety as there were no systems in place."

The inquest heard that Mr Richardson, from Boston in Lincolnshire, had been in his job for less than a month when the accident happened, on October 24, 2020.

It heard he had been working to "tidy up" the site in Shipdham and had been left to work alone by Mr Jenkins, who had been working alongside him before leaving the site to collect a vehicle.

When he returned, he found Mr Richardson trapped between one of two forklift trucks being used on the site and a wall - and despite CPR died at the scene.

Summing up the evidence, Mrs Lake said it was discovered that a safety mechanism in both vehicles - a seat switch - had been overridden using split hair pins, causing them to be "defeated".

The safety mechanisms are designed to make sure forklift trucks are unable to move unless an operator is sat in the cab.

However, as there was nobody on site to witness how the crash had occurred, it was not possible to say for certain exactly how the accident occurred.

Mrs Lake said police officers investigating the incident said that it was most likely the truck had become either trapped in the mud or behind an obstacle as Mr Richardson cleared the site.

It then believed that following his efforts to free the vehicle, it began to roll towards him, trapping him between the truck and a wall.

His medical cause of death was given as compression asphyxia.

Giving a conclusion of accidental death, the jury said: "On October 24, Zach was working alone at Elm Farm between 3.51pm and 5.13pm.

"During that time he became trapped between the building wall and the rear of a forklift truck.

"It is more likely than not that this resulted in fatal crush injuries."

Speaking outside of the court, Kevin Richardson, the teenager's father, said: "He was just a lovely boy. He was all set to make something great of his life.

"I never had to ask, but he was always ready to help me around the house.

"He never even got to spend his first pay packet. I miss him like you would not believe."

The teenager was one of 10 siblings, loved motorbikes and was a competitive gamer, reaching the final 500 in the world championships for Call of Duty.

A spokesman for Lincs Firewood Company Ltd and DD Dodd and Son Ltd said: “Zach was a well-liked and valued employee. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

"The companies have fully cooperated with the investigation and the Inquest process, and will continue to do so.”

The incident was investigated by Norfolk Constabulary but no criminal proceedings followed.