A council which claimed it told inspectors about a fatal accident involving a refuse truck never reported the incident.

Brighton and Hove City Council has always insisted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was informed about the death of Stephane Aineto.

Today, we can reveal the HSE knew nothing about the accident until approached by Mr Aineto's family six months after his death.

Now the HSE may launch a full investigation.

Spokesman Peter O'Connor said: "The parents wrote to us in January and, as a result of that, we have started looking into the matter. The HSE knew nothing about it before then."

Mr Aineto, 28, of Upper Lewes Road, was fatally injured after a night out with friends in July last year.

He was walking alone in a pedestrian section of East Street, Brighton, when he was run over by a seven-and-a-half tonne truck operated by contractors Sita.

It is believed he may have stumbled and fallen under a rear wheel.

Both Sita and the police carried out investigations, which concluded his death was an accident and no action was taken against the driver of the vehicle.

In a statement as late as last month, a council spokeswoman said: "The incident reports from police, the council and Sita were all received by the Health and Safety Executive and it was satisfied this was a road traffic accident."

The council has now admitted this statement was untrue and that it did not inform the HSE.

A spokesman for the council said: "Our previous letter to the family was in error in suggesting we'd reported the incident to the HSE. The responsibility for reporting the incident always lay with Sita, not with us."

He said the council would write to the family to apologise "for any confusion that may have been caused".

The dead man's parents, Jean-Claude and Josiane Aineto, are renewing their demand for a public inquiry into their son's death, following the council's admission.

The HSE said the decision whether to launch a full investigation depended on whether it ruled Stephane's death occurred in the work place or was a road traffic accident.

Mr O'Connor said: "If the lorry was being loaded with rubbish at the time, then a work action was being carried out.

"If it was simply being driven along the road, then it would not be work-related. If it was between stops, it is a grey area.

"As the law enforcement agency for health and safety, it is up to us to decide whether the incident was work-related or not.

"At this stage, we are not sure and will be talking to the council, Sita and the police.

"There's no legal requirement to inform us if it was a road traffic accident. But if there's some uncertainty then you could argue the council or Sita should have advised us."

A Sita spokeswoman said: "Sita is discussing the matter with the HSE."