A man was crushed to death when a tonne of shrink-wrapped frozen chickens fell from a forklift on top of him.

Paul Langfield, 17, was working with the driver in a refrigerated unit when the accident occurred. He was rushed to hospital with multiple injuries but died in the ambulance, a Daily Star report said.

An inquiry has found the pallet was defective, in that it had no bottom board, which would have prevented it from toppling. An inquest is in progress.