A TOP-LEVEL investigation is today underway into the accident which claimed the life of a worker at Southampton's Ford car plant.

Police and health and safety officials have launched a probe into the death of Christopher Shute, 30, who died after falling into a 100,000-gallon tank of paint.

Mr Shute was cleaning the tank at the massive Ford plant in Swaythling when he fell in. The vat had been full of a solvent-based rubberised paint used as an undercoat on Transit vans made at the factory.

A fellow workman desperately tried to cling on to Mr Shute - but was unable to stop him disappearing beneath the surface.

Angela Hood, acting for the principal inspector of the Health and Safety Executive, said: "We have two inspectors on site and are carrying out an investigation."

A spokesman for Ford said: "We would like to express our condolences to the man's family and friends. It's tragic and has had a saddening effect on the plant."

Firefighters and ambulance crews were called to the plant in Wide Lane, Swaythling, shortly before 9.30am yesterday. Mr Shute, a single man, of Win-hester Road, Southampton, was pulled from the tank.

Despite emergency first-aid at the scene, he died a short time later. The coroner has been informed and a post mortem is expected to take place today.

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