An inquest is to be opened after a Hitchin construction worker tragically died on a building site.

Andrew Constable died while working on a site in Swineshead, a small village in the far north of Bedfordshire.

Police told the Comet emergency services were called at about 3pm on Friday, March 9, to reports of concern for the welfare of a man working in the village’s High Street.

“Emergency services attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene,” a force spokeswoman said.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious and has been passed to the Health and Safety Executive to investigate and the coroner.”

Two ambulance crews, an ambulance officer and a MAGPAS air ambulance rushed to the scene after reports that Andrew was not breathing.

“Sadly, the patient died at the scene,” an ambulance service spokesman said.

“Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.”

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive told the Comet: “HSE is aware of this fatal incident and is assisting the police with their investigation. Our thoughts are with the family at this time.

“As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”

Sean Brundell, a friend of Andrew’s, told the Comet the 46-year-old had been crushed to death on the building site.

“He was a bloody good bloke – never heard him say a bad word about anyone in the 30-plus years I knew him,” said Sean.

“He was always happy and just a really, really decent guy. I’m truly going to miss him.”

An inquest will be convened at a date to be confirmed by Bedfordshire’s coroner service, which is based in Ampthill.