A construction worker was crushed to death by more than a tonne of metal at a multimillion pound riverside complex in Weybridge.

A crane reportedly dropped its load on the unnamed construction worker who was helping with renovations at a luxury home in Wey Meadows at about 1.30pm yesterday.

The property is owned by  millionaire businessman Hugh Villiers and has been undergoing renovations to build a much larger house complete with cinema and swimming pool. 

Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene but he is yet to be formally identified.

Surrey Comet:

The entrance to the site in Wey Meadows owned by  millionaire businessman Hugh Villiers​

Andy Begg, watch commander at Walton fire station, said: “Someone was trapped under some building materials.

“There was nothing we could do medically and so started with the rescue.”

Mr Begg said that 18 sheets of reinforced mesh, each weighing about 71 kilos, had dropped onto the man as he was using a crane.

Surrey Comet:

The site is situated down the leafy Wey Meadows which runs along the River Wey

He said: “He was unloading these sheets horizontally in one go. The load then fell so that it was vertical and it pinned him to the ground.

"He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics just before 1.50pm.”

He added the remote control for the crane could not be used to remove the mesh so a ‘uni-mog’, a special 4x4 fire vehicle with an attached crane, was used to remove the mesh and make the scene safe.

Neighbour Victor Spink said: “They were very tight lipped. Everybody who turned up here had grim faces, no cheery hello. At no point was there any talk of death.

“We didn't find out [someone had died] until last night.

“It's dreadful. It was quite obvious something was going on. There were no sirens, no shouting, just the sound of the helicopter.

“They were there until seven or eight then everyone began to disperse.”

Mr Spink’s wife Nicola added: “In all the time they've been working there's been no other accidents we've been aware of."

Surrey Comet:

Wey Meadows is just around the corner from Weybridge High Street

The house was originally built by German company WeberHaus but the company had no involvement in the latest work.

A spokesman for Surrey Police said the cause of the death was being investigated.

He said: “Officers attended Wey Meadows following reports that a man had died after being trapped under metal construction materials.

"Police and other emergency services attended the location but the man was sadly declared dead at the scene.

"Officers are working with the health and safety executive to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.”