A mother learnt her partner had been crushed to death after his employment agency left a message on her answer phone checking she was okay. Father-of-one Richard Brown, 48, was killed as he unloaded pallets containing heavy kitchen worktops at an industrial estate. His partner Kim Tribe had been out Christmas shopping and was unaware of his death until she got home and picked up the message from a concerned member of staff at Prestige, the employment agency whose books he was on. Kim Tribe pictured with her partner Richard Brown, 48, who died in an industrial accident at Howdens Joinery in Wokington, Cumbria . 'The agency, which he worked for, wanted to know if they could be of any assistance after the tragic news about Richard,' said devastated Ms Tribe, aged 44. 'No one had told me about the accident. I rang Richard's mobile. It just rang out. I rang the agency back and they came straight round. 'They were mortified. They honestly thought I'd been told. I don't blame them. 'It has destroyed us. I'm still numb and in shock.' Cumbria Police and the Health and Safety Executive are carrying out a joint investigation into the industrial accident at Howdens Joinery depot in Workington, Cumbria. Mr Brown was making his second or third delivery on November 10, for the kitchen suppliers when the accident happened. The air ambulance along with a land ambulance, medical director, four fire engines the police responded to the 999 call at 1.30pm. A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service spokesman said Mr Brown was trapped under a number of pallets. 'Richard went off to work quite happy,' said Ms Tribe. 'He had been wearing his new work boots and hi-vis jacket. 'Workington was his second or third drop.' Ms Tribe said she had spoken, briefly, to her partner about an hour before the incident. 'Richard loved to talk on the phone,' said Ms Tribe from West Hull, East Yorkshire. Father-of-one Richard Brown, 48, was killed as he unloaded pallets containing heavy kitchen worktops at Howdens Joinery in Workington, Cumbria . 'He was always ringing people up. 'He told me, 'I'll unload this lot and I'll ring you back'.' Ms Tribe said she became worried when Mr Brown failed to call her back. 'I rang his mobile five times and left a message asking if he was OK,' she said. 'It was really unlike him not to ring back.' After learning of her partner's death the hairdresser had to break the news to his son, Dominik, 17, a former Hull City academy footballer. Mr Brown's nephew, Martin Oliver, 41, said his London-born uncle had not intended to work that shift. 'Richard was on nights, but agreed to do the agency a favour by working that shift,' he said. 'He shouldn't even have been in Workington.' 'Richard was a good man - very hardworking and likeable. Wherever you went, people would know him. 'But without doubt the biggest, most important thing in his life was Dominik. He loved him to pieces. The two of them could not have been closer. 'He was known by some people as 'Cockney' because he was from London originally,' said Mr Oliver. 'Everyone loved him.' A spokesman for Howdens Joinery said that the company had launched their own internal investigation into the incident.
Richard Brown, 48, was crushed as he was unloading kitchen worktops .
He was making a delivery at Howdens Joinery in Workington, Cumbria .
His partner Kim Tribe, 44, learnt of his death in a voice message .
They wanted to check that she was okay and offer their assistance .
Mr Brown's employment agency thought she had been told of his death .
Just before the accident the couple had been talking on the phone .
He told MsTribe 'I'll ring you back,'  but  she never heard from him again .
Police and Health and Safety Executive are jointly probing his death .
A mother learnt her partner had been crushed to death after his employment agency left a message on her answer phone checking she was okay. Father-of-one Richard Brown, 48, was killed as he unloaded pallets containing heavy kitchen worktops at an industrial estate. His partner Kim Tribe had been out Christmas shopping and was unaware of his death until she got home and picked up the message from a concerned member of staff at Prestige, the employment agency whose books he was on. Kim Tribe pictured with her partner Richard Brown, 48, who died in an industrial accident at Howdens Joinery in Wokington, Cumbria . 'The agency, which he worked for, wanted to know if they could be of any assistance after the tragic news about Richard,' said devastated Ms Tribe, aged 44. 'No one had told me about the accident. I rang Richard's mobile. It just rang out. I rang the agency back and they came straight round. 'They were mortified. They honestly thought I'd been told. I don't blame them. 'It has destroyed us. I'm still numb and in shock.' Cumbria Police and the Health and Safety Executive are carrying out a joint investigation into the industrial accident at Howdens Joinery depot in Workington, Cumbria. Mr Brown was making his second or third delivery on November 10, for the kitchen suppliers when the accident happened. The air ambulance along with a land ambulance, medical director, four fire engines the police responded to the 999 call at 1.30pm. A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service spokesman said Mr Brown was trapped under a number of pallets. 'Richard went off to work quite happy,' said Ms Tribe. 'He had been wearing his new work boots and hi-vis jacket. 'Workington was his second or third drop.' Ms Tribe said she had spoken, briefly, to her partner about an hour before the incident. 'Richard loved to talk on the phone,' said Ms Tribe from West Hull, East Yorkshire. Father-of-one Richard Brown, 48, was killed as he unloaded pallets containing heavy kitchen worktops at Howdens Joinery in Workington, Cumbria . 'He was always ringing people up. 'He told me, 'I'll unload this lot and I'll ring you back'.' Ms Tribe said she became worried when Mr Brown failed to call her back. 'I rang his mobile five times and left a message asking if he was OK,' she said. 'It was really unlike him not to ring back.' After learning of her partner's death the hairdresser had to break the news to his son, Dominik, 17, a former Hull City academy footballer. Mr Brown's nephew, Martin Oliver, 41, said his London-born uncle had not intended to work that shift. 'Richard was on nights, but agreed to do the agency a favour by working that shift,' he said. 'He shouldn't even have been in Workington.' 'Richard was a good man - very hardworking and likeable. Wherever you went, people would know him. 'But without doubt the biggest, most important thing in his life was Dominik. He loved him to pieces. The two of them could not have been closer. 'He was known by some people as 'Cockney' because he was from London originally,' said Mr Oliver. 'Everyone loved him.' A spokesman for Howdens Joinery said that the company had launched their own internal investigation into the incident.
A mother learnt her partner had been crushed to death after his employment agency left a message on her answer phone checking she was okay. Father-of-one Richard Brown, 48, was killed as he worktops at an industrial estate. His partner Kim unaware of his death until she got home and books he was on. Kim Tribe pictured with her industrial accident at Howdens Joinery in the Health and Safety Executive are carrying out Cumbria. Mr Brown was making his second or third worktops at Howdens Joinery in Workington, told me, 'I'll unload this lot and I'll ring you