AN INQUEST jury has returned a verdict of accidental death after an experienced Blackburn steeple-jack fell 300ft from the top of a mill chimney.

John Alty fell from the chimney belonging to Swan Lane Mills, Great Lever, in June 2007, when the scaffolding he was working on gave way.

The five-day hearing at Bolton Coroner’s Court previously heard how the 40-year-old was not wearing a safety harness as he dismantled the last section of scaffolding.

Health and Safety inspector Stuart Kitch-ingman told the hearing there were three possible causes of the accident: the brickwork not being strong enough, problems with the fixings attach-ing the scaffolding to the chimney or welds in the scaffolding itself giving way.

The court heard how Mr Alty’s employers, Bailey International Steeplejack Company, had been contracted to carry out repairs to the top of chimney.

Fellow steeplejack Paul Morgan said he had worked many times with Mr Alty, whom he had always seen wearing a safety harness, a comp-ulsory requirement at the firm.

He told the jury that it came as a ‘major shock’ to discover Mr Alty, of Openshaw Drive, Blackburn, had not been wear-ing the safety equipment on the day of his death.

At the time of his death, Mr Alty was described by his wife Angela as a ‘lovely bloke and lively character’ who was liked by everyone he met.

She said he had died doing a job he loved which had taken him across the world.