A building firm has been ordered to pay more than £100,000 following the death of a worker.

Daniel Yeowell, of Albany Road, Gillingham, was employed by Hague Construction.

The ground worker and his colleagues were installing drainage boxes at a site at Langley Green Primary School in Crawley on October, 4, 2013.

Mr Yeowell, 26, was struck by a concrete drainage cover as he was standing in the excavation area.

The former pupil of St John Fisher Catholic School in Chatham was flown by air ambulance to the Royal London Hospital with severe head injuries but later died.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Hague failed to properly plan this lifting operation and also failed to supply workers with the safe and appropriate equipment to carry out the work.

“It was also found the lifting chains used were too long for the work and were not attached safely to the cover or the excavator.

The Rochester company pleaded guilty to breaching part of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £16,918 costs.

HSE inspector Andrew Cousins said: “Our investigation was prompted in the most tragic of circumstances.

“Hague Construction should have properly planned the lifting operation regarding this work activity.

“If the company had done so Mr Yeowell’s death could have been avoided.”

An inquest was held in June 2015, when a jury recorded poor planning, unsafe equipment and incompetence by colleagues caused Mr Yeowell’s death.

A spokesman for Hague said following the HSE ruling: “This is a tragic case and all of us at Hague Construction Ltd extend once again our condolences to Danny Yeowell’s family.

“The health and safety of our employees has always been paramount and we continue to strive to have a well-trained and highly professional workforce to ensure that this accident is never repeated.”

"Hague Construction should have properly planned the lifting operation... if the company had done so Mr Yeowell's death could have been avoided" - Andrew Cousins

Since Mr Yeowell’s death, his friends and family have raised more than £6,000 for the air ambulance.

A statement from his father, also called Daniel, was read out at an inquest into his death in June 2015.

He said: “Danny was loved, adored and spoiled by all. He had a good relationship with both his brother Jack and sister Ella.

“He really enjoyed working in the industry and made many friends.

“It was overwhelming for us as a family to receive so many kind words and to have hundreds of people attend his funeral.”

Mr Yeowell added that he hoped rules in the construction industry will be improved.

He said: “We want changes to be made to health and safety rules.

"We want to avoid another fatal accident and for families not to go through what we have.

"Danny had a life to live and was working hard. Now he is gone."