A 21-YEAR-OLD man has died after an early-morning digger crash at an industrial unit in Blackburn.

The worker, who was an Afghanistani national, was using a small ‘Bobcat’ digger at the site in Gordon Mill, Lower Hollin Bank Street, when it crashed at 12.30am yesterday.

He suffered serious head injuries.

Police said he had been living in Blackburn, but had no family in this country.

The waste management and recycling company, where the accident took place, was yest-erday cordoned off by police, pending a full inquiry which will begin today.

A ‘Bobcat’ digger could be seen in the yard in front of the unit, part of a larger group of four businesses at the site.

Inspector Mick Johnson said: “There was a fatal industrial accident at a unit in Lower Hollin Bank Street.

“Police have attended the unit and the Health and Safety Executive will be conducting a joint investigation with CID officers.”

Fire and rescue officers from Blackburn were also called to the scene as a precaution, but were not required.

Yesterday, workers at neighbouring units spoke of their shock at the news.

One man, who did not want to be named, said: “I had no idea that this had happened. It’s an abs-olute tragedy.

“I quite often see skips coming and going out of the unit and I know that they have about four young lads working there.”

A spokeswoman from the Health and Safety Executive confirmed it was aware of the incident and had begun making preliminary inquiries.