Union condemns "appalling" death rate

Construction union UCATT has condemned an "appalling" upturn in the number of sites deaths. Since last April at least 53 construction workers have been killed on sites.

UCATT general secretary George Brumwell said: "This is appalling news at the start of the year and underlines the need for more to be done to address the causes of poor health and safety on our construction sites."

In a recent case, a member of general union TGWU was killed when scaffolding collapsed at the site of the new Wembley stadium.