An Oswestry based food storage company has been fined £35,000 following a chemical leak which led to the death of an employee.

Cold Move Ltd, based on the Maesbury Road Industrial Estate, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday.

The company had previously admitted breaching section two of the Health and Safety at Work Act, which requires an employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees.

In addition to the fine, it must pay £6,116.25 costs.

It came following the death of Alan Golden, 54, of Holbache Road, Oswestry, who died as a result of exposure to ammonia, following the leak at the firm’s Golborne depot, near Warrington, in September 2005.

The court heard Mr Golden, an engineer for the company, would have died almost immediately after inhaling ammonia fumes while draining oil from a compressor.

Judge Nigel Gilmour QC said: “No value can be put on a person’s life. The deceased was a hard-working, devoted family man, who is still sorely missed.”

He added it could not be established that any of the admitted breaches were “causative” of Mr Golden’s death.

Simon Antrobus, for Cold Move Ltd, said the company had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, prior to the accident they had a good safety record and he outlined improvements that had been made.

Mr Golden’s wife Christine and family said they welcomed the conviction after the case.