The death of a schoolboy who suffered fatal head injuries when he fell through the roof of a disused flour mill was accidental, a coroner has ruled.

Cameron Tidey, 13, plunged more than 20ft through the Rank Hovis Mill in Margate Road, Ramsgate at 4pm on June 25, 2013.

The Ellington and Hereson school pupil, who lived in The Silvers in Broadstairs, died in Royal London Hospital the next morning from a head injury sustained in the accident.

At an inquest yesterday, assistant coroner James Dillon concluded that Cameron and his friend had climbed over the 1.8 metre front wall using a traffic cone for leverage.

It had been reported that the accident was the result of Cameron’s attempt to retrieve a football.

But through a witness statement from DC Deslandes, his friend revealed they were exploring the site because they had heard it was “scary” and made up the football part at the time because they did not want to get in trouble for trespassing.

Mr Dillon said: “When the boys entered the site there may only have been one asbestos hazard sign visible to them.

“Together they climbed on to the flat roof building, then up a drainpipe to a flat Perspex roof where Cameron fell 20-30ft below.”

Cameron was airlifted to Royal London Hospital at 5.30pm.

His condition deteriorated and he went into a deep coma due to a severe head injury with multiple skull fractures.

Members of Cameron’s family raised questions at the inquest about the security of the abandoned flour mill.

Mum Marian Tidey said: “I went and measured the wall recently and it is at least a couple of inches below the recommended level.

“There’s barbed wire and a high wall at the back of the site but not really any warning signs at the front.”

The Health and Safety Executive said that the site had not been under their remit since 2004 because it has been out of operation.

The court then heard from Ideal Investments director Ashley Bean, who owned the site at the time of the accident.

He said: “There was CCTV outside and the perimeter was secure with 6ft walls.

“The mill is Grade II listed so it had also been subject to inspections by a local operative.”

Thanet District Council building control manager Geoff Musk said: “The building had not been designated as a dangerous structure.

“Powers available to us would not include putting more signs in or to prevent access into the site.

“The roof was not justification to deem the building dangerous and our powers on this site were limited to just securing the perimeter.

“We generally rely on the public to alert us of insecure buildings.”

Mr Dillon concluded: “There appears to be a gap in between both remits and legislation does not align.

“The warehouse with fragile roof covering is a typical industrial type structure.

“The front gate would have been manned when the mill was in operation and the rear wall is higher with barbed wire.”

The coroner concluded the inquest by describing how Cameron’s organs had been donated, helping three people survive critical illnesses. He called it “a fitting epitaph to a young man”.

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