AN INQUEST into the death of a taxi driver has heard he died from chest compression when a car fell on top of him.

Dave Ellott, 43, was carrying out repair works underneath a Peugeot 406 when it fell. The impact of the car broke several of Mr Ellot’s ribs and suffocated him as the car pressed down on his chest.

There were no witnesses to the accident so the Health and Safety Executive was not able to establish what exactly happened.

But they believe that Mr Ellott had the front two wheels propped up on mini-ramps on his drive in Sherwood Avenue, Chatham, and one of the back wheels jacked up.

The coroner Roger Sykes, recording a verdict of accidental death, said: “This incident occurred due to some movement of the vehicle causing it to come down on top of Mr Ellott.”

Mr Ellott, a married father of three, ran his own business fixing and fitting taxis. He was also a popular driver for Star taxis.