Teen hit by concrete pipe on building site

BBC A view of a building site with a wooden fence surrounding the perimeter. Over the fence houses are being built with scaffolding up around them. The sweep of the road at the forefront appears new, but slightly dirty with soil and brick dust. The banks leading up to the fencing are unplanted soil.BBC
A 17-year-old boy was taken to hospital with life-threatening head and neck injuries

A teenager has been seriously injured by a concrete pipe which fell on him at a building site.

The 17-year-old was hurt at the Sniperley Park DH1 homes development in Durham shortly before 13:00 BST on Thursday, Durham Police said.

The force said his head and neck injuries were "life-threatening" and he had been taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating alongside the police, with inspectors visiting the private housing development site.

The Esh Group, which is carrying out groundworks at the site, said the incident involved an employee of a subcontractor.

"The entire company is deeply saddened by this event, and communication and efforts to assist the police and HSE have been ongoing from the outset and throughout," a spokesperson said.

"First and foremost, our thoughts are with the injured person, their family and friends, and we will continue to assist and provide support where appropriate."

A spokesperson for the developer, Bellway, said: "We are aware of an incident at our DH1 development involving a contractor working for the principal contractor.

"Our thoughts are with the contractor, his family, friends and colleagues at this time."

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