AN auto-electrician was crushed to death as he desperately tried to stop a 12.5-tonne coach rolling towards a parked car.

And today family, friends and work colleagues of Clive Moss were devastated following the fatal accident in the yard at Coastlinks Express on West End Business Park, Oswaldtwistle.

Police said Mr Moss, 45, of Claremont Road, Accrington, had just finished working on the coach when it began moving towards the car at 9am yesterday.

He tried to stop it but died at the scene from multiple injuries. His family, including wife Kim, were too upset to speak yesterday.

His manager at West End Auto Electrics on Blackburn Road, Keith Threlfall, said Mr Moss had worked there for nine years.

He said: "He was a bit of a character and always had lots of time for people. He will be sorely missed and our hearts go out to his family."

Paul Humphries, best man at Mr Moss's wedding 18 months ago and manager of the Oaklea Club in Whalley Road, Accrington, said: "He was a good friend and a regular at the club. Last night in the club you could cut the atmosphere with a knife.

"It's a great shock to all of us and I can't speak highly enough of him."

Shireen Haydock, whose husband Steve has run Coastlinks for three years at the former Daisy Dairy site, was in the yard at the time of the accident.

She said they had hired Mr Moss to fix a starter motor on one of their fleet, a 50-seater 40ft-long coach.

She said: "Everybody here is just numb with shock. Our thoughts and sympathy are with the family at this time. What's happened is a tragic accident."

Mrs Haydock, of Hillside Avenue, Intack, Blackburn, said she had telephoned her husband to break the news and he was cutting short a trip to Spain to come back home.

She said they called West End Auto Electrics yesterday morning for someone to come down and look at the coach and within a few minutes Mr Moss had got it started.

She said: "I was filling another coach with water and I heard people shouting, 'It's moving'. He tried to stop it hitting another one of the lads' cars and got caught between them."

She said police had estimated the coach, which weighed 12.5 tonnes, had been travelling around 4-7mph down the slight gradient when the accident happened.

Police and accident investigators from the Health and Safety Executive were at the scene until yesterday evening trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and inquiries would continue today. The coroner has been informed.

Coastlinks employs five full-time staff and several other people on a casual basis for driving and mechanical work. Mr and Mrs Haydock are also partners in Red Rose Travel Ltd, a separate business which runs continental coach trips and is also based at the former Daisy Dairy site.