A former Shropshire man has drowned in Australia in a “tragic accident” after he lost control of his lorry on a bridge and plunged into the river below.

David Hamerton, 60, sustained only an injury to his nose when his lorry ploughed off a bridge and into the River Burnett in Queensland.

But the grandfather, who was originally from Harmer Hill, then drowned.

His sister Lynne Hamerton, from Plex, near Hadnall, today said the family were still waiting for post mortem examination results, but it appeared Mr Hamerton had misjudged the bridge he was driving over and then knocked himself out and drowned in the river in the accident, which happened on June 15.

Miss Hamerton said that even though her brother had not been to England for years, he kept in touch with several people in Shropshire and would be remembered at a special memorial service in the county next Tuesday.

Mr Hamerton, a father of three and grandfather of eight, emigrated to Australia at the age of 17, on a £10 passage. He began work in agriculture and then set up his own haulage firm.

About 500 people attended his funeral, when it was held in his hometown of Bundaberg in Australia, and the memorial service in Shropshire will be held at Broughton Church in Yorton, near Harmer Hill, at 2pm on Tuesday.

Miss Hamerton said she and her brother had been close and were in regular telephone contact.

While in Shropshire, Mr Hamerton lived at Pimhill Farm at Harmer Hill and attended the Corbet School in Baschurch and the Apley Park boarding school near Bridgnorth.