A PENSIONER was crushed to death after a car he was repairing fell on him, an inquest concluded.

Walter Greenfield, 80, of Highfield Drive, Burnley, died 10 days before his diamond wedding anniversary while preparing his Vauxhall Omega car for an MOT on his drive outside his home.

He was found by his wife, Irene, who discovered his hand and ankle were "stone cold" when she went to check on him, the inquest was told yesterday.

Irene told the hearing: "When I left him he was getting his tools out of the garage.

"I then came home around 5pm and saw his hand sticking out from under the vehicle.

"I left him because he was always said 'If I'm doing a job don't speak to me because that's how accidents happen.' "I went to prepare tea then I shouted to him but I thought he would poke his head or have a glance, but he didn't.

"I felt his hand. It was stone cold then his ankle. It was stone cold too."

Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of accidental death caused by asphyxiation for the retired St John's RC Infant School Teacher.

Speaking after the hearing, Irene said: "We were planning a holiday for our diamond wedding anniversary."

Dr Abdul Al-Dawood, pathologist at Burnley General Hospital, told the hearing about Mr Greenfield's injuries.

He said: "Mr Greenfield sustained a fracture to both his ribs on both sides which damaged both his lungs and also caused compression damage to his liver.

"Mr Greenfield would have died quickly. It would not have taken more than a minute."