Safety chiefs today launched an investigation into the death of a man crushed by a mechanical grab.

The man, believed to be in his 40s, was working in the garden of a house in Montgomery Road in Hastings.

The grab, operated from the back of a lorry which had been backed into the narrow driveway of the semi-detached house, was being used to move earth and rubble when the man became trapped between the grab head and the lorry.

Fourteen firefighters, an ambulance crew and police were sent to the scene of yesterday's lunchtime accident but the man was dead.

A post-mortem examination was being carried out today at the Conquest Hospital, Hastings, in a bid to ascertain whether the victim died of natural causes before being trapped by the grab or whether he died of injuries sustained in the accident.

Police have not named the man, who is believed to have lived locally.

Officers from the Health and Safety Executive inspected the crane yesterday and a spokesman said: "We believe the man was working alone when the accident happened and there are no direct witnesses.

"We are working with the police, the householders and the coroner to find out what happened."

A neighbour said: "There were suddenly lots of fire engines."

Station officer Mark O'Brien of at Hastings fire brigade said: "We were called after receiving reports a man had been trapped under a crane. By the time we got there, there were paramedics on the scene and unfortunately the man was declared dead. A doctor was also called out."