An inquest into the death of a supermarket delivery driver from Watford, who suffered severe head injuries when he fell from a lorry, opened today.

A four-day investigation into the death of Anthony Cook, from Bradshaw Road, commenced with a report from a pathologist, and a colleague who witnessed his fall.

Mr Cook, a vehicle inspector and delivery driver for Ocado, was taken to the QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City after he fell from a lorry cab and banged his head on the floor.

Despite two operations in the Royal Free Hospital to fix a subdural and extradural hematoma – a blood clot above and below the covering of the brain – he died on August 4, 2009.

Former colleague Gary Holliman has worked for Ocado for five years, and was working as delivery driver in the Hatfield warehouse where Mr Cook was based.

He said: “Each vehicle has a damage sheet, very similar to when you hire a car. My unit [lorry] did not have the correct check sheet so I went to the office to get some help.

“Tony was in the office and I explained the situation. It had not happened to me before but does happen occasionally.”

Mr Cook suggested the check sheet might be another vehicle, parked next to Mr Holliman's lorry.

Mr Holliman added: “We went up to the unit, Tony climbed into the driver's side of the cab, I stood by the drivers door and Tony checked for the paperwork but couldn't find it.

“There are procedures you have to follow when climbing in or out of a lorry, you have to maintain three points of contact, either two feet and a hand or two hands and a foot. It's part of the HGV licence test.

“Tony started to climb down from the cab and was totally in control, he had the three points of contact, when he got to the bottom step I moved back to give him some room.

“I glanced behind me and when I looked back he was in flight. He was about to, or had put his foot on the last step and was falling backwards. I didn't see how.”

Mr Holliman then described how Mr Cook fell first onto his back, before rolling backwards and banging the back of his head.

Gillian Cook, Mr Cook's widow, described her husband as a wonderful grandfather and father of three girls, Gemma, Lindsay and Nicola.

In a written statement she added: “Nothing was too much to ask, he was kind and helpful, highly thought of, and never let you down.

“He was a family man and glorified taxi-driver, who took his responsibilities very seriously at home and work.”

The Crystal Palace fan had just returned from their 25th wedding anniversary celebrations in Tenerife when the incident took place.

The inquest, held in the Coroner's Court in Hatfield, continues.