THE man accused of killing a fork-lift truck driver in the yard of a distribution centre in Redditch has been cleared in court.

Jason Traynor was alleged to have 'carried on regardless' with a 360-degree turn before he collided with the fork-lift truck which was being driven by 58-year-old Harold Underwood.

Mr Underwood was crushed to death as the fork-lift toppled over in the yard of Halford's distribution centre on March 9 last year.

Traynor, aged 33, of Hastings Road, Charford, denied manslaughter and he was found not guilty by a jury on the directions of Judge Frank Chapman at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The prosecution case against Traynor had almost finished when Mr James Cooper, defending, submitted to the court that there was no real evidence against the lorry driver.

The judge agreed and he told the eight man and four woman jury that it had not been proved by the prosecution that there had been gross negligence by Traynor.

He ruled the prosecution did not have the evidence to proceed with the manslaughter charge and brought the trial to an end.

The prosecution had maintained Traynor must have seen Mr Underwood and his fork-lift truck before the collision but he 'disregarded him.'

The two men were working in the yard - Mr Underwood was moving waste paper while Traynor was driving a lorry used to transport large loads.

The fork-lift truck was pushed along by the heavy lorry and Mr Underwood broke his back as it fell over onto its side.

After his arrest Traynor, when interviewed by investigating police officers, stressed he had not seen the fork-lift truck as he made his manoeuvre.