TWO men have been arrested following the tragic death of a 24-year-old building worker from Chorley after he was crushed to death when a trench collapsed.

Fellow workers discovered the body around 3.30pm on Monday March 1 at the Bryant homes Canonswood building site on Euxton Lane, Euxton.

Detectives from Chorley believe the ground worker was crushed by falling clay and soil in a 15ft-deep excavation trench as he was laying pipelines.

A full-scale attempt to retrieve the body by fire crews and a police support unit were hampered on Monday due to fears that the deep trench could collapse again, putting rescuers' lives at risk.

However, a specialist team of rescuers successfully found the body late on Tuesday afternoon after battling against the torrential rain and the fear of mud slides.

Two workers from the Euxton building site were interviewed at length by detectives at Chorley police station on Monday evening.

The two men were then arrested late Tuesday afternoon in connection with the death and are now on police bail.

A Lancashire police spokeswoman said: "Further investigations are being carried out by police and Health and Safety officers."

Paul Brady, from Manchester's Central Office of Information, confirmed that health and safety inspectors from Preston were investigating.

He said: "Health and Safety Officers are now at the Euxton development and have started a full-scale investigation into what happened.

"But, it's too early to say at this stage what the inspectors findings will be."

Bryant Homes are currently building approximately 400 new homes on the Euxton Lane site which started in 1994 and work is due to be completed in the next few years.

Caroline Evans, from Bryant Homes, said: "This was a tragic accident which led to the death of a sub-contracted ground worker in a collapsed trench.

"Bryant is shocked and horrified and a full investigation involving police and health and safety experts is currently under way."

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