A man’s body was discovered by a crane operator at a recycling facility while moving waste. The deceased, identified as Nicholas Milburn, was found at the Haverton Hill recycling centre in Billingham. The incident occurred on September 24, 2025, leading to the suspension of operations at the facility for a police investigation.
Police confirmed the identification of the deceased through fingerprint analysis conducted at the University Hospital of North Tees, positively matching Mr. Milburn’s identity. A post mortem examination revealed that the provisional medical cause of death was “chest injuries.” The area coroner for Teesside and Hartlepool, Paul Appleton, mentioned that the crane operator discovered the deceased male while working with a remote-operated claw in line three at the recycling plant.
Cleveland Police indicated that the 45-year-old man’s death was not considered suspicious after a Home Office Post Mortem examination. The inquest into the incident has been adjourned with no confirmed date for the subsequent hearing.
