The headmaster of a Shropshire school told an inquest lessons had been learned following the death of a builder when the roof of a classroom he was helping to demolish collapsed on him.

Twenty tonnes of rubble fell on top of Mark Evans when the roof caved in at Moor Park School in Richards Castle, near Ludlow, on August 14, 2007.

Yesterday an inquest at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court was told Mr Evans was likely to have died instantly when the building fell down.

Headmaster Jonathan Bartlett, reading a statement on behalf of the school, later told the inquest: “Post accident steps have been taken by the school to include specific guidance with a check list for the appointment of contractors and a standard contract for use drawn up for contractors, with a statement for use for smaller contractors.

“We now have a health and safety sub-committee which reports to the board of governors.”

Mr Evans, 40, of Normandie Close, Ludlow, was one of five men working on demolishing the single storey classroom when the incident happened.

The inquest reopened yesterday after being adjourned pending an investigation. A jury of 10 people was sworn in.

John Ellery, coroner for Mid and North West Shropshire, said that Mr Evans was likely to have died instantly and would not have suffered in any way.

He added that other buildings had been demolished at the site prior to Mr Evans’s death.

Evidence was heard from Mr Evans’s brother Alexander Magrail.

Mr Magrail had been in the building working with his brother at the time of the collapse.

He said: “I felt a gust of wind and felt sea sick.

“The roof came down on top of us and hit me on the right shoulder and Mark too.”

The inquest heard some of the men had tried to use a car jack and scaffolding to lift the roof off Mr Evans and somebody called the emergency services.

Yesterday a statement by Mr Evans’s wife Theresa, which was read out on her behalf, described her husband as “very hard working and happy go lucky with a good sense of humour”.

Mr Evans also left his daughter Chloe who was 14 at the time of the incident.

The inquest continues.

By Emma Kasprzak