THE owner of a family business who was due to be married died after the grab arm on his truck came into contact with 11,000-volt overhead cables.
An inquest at Ruthin Coroner's Court on Tuesday, November 3, heard that Andrew Winston Lloyd, who was set to marry his partner Hayley Lloyd on May 29, 2025, was electrocuted when delivering a load of hardcore and the grab arm of his truck came into contact with the cables.
Mr Lloyd climbed down from the cab and was electrocuted when he came into contact with the metal step.
His 14-year-old son, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was with his dad at the time of the incident; he had joined Mr Lloyd for work experience.
The 56-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene in Tan y Dderwen Farm in Betws-yn-Rhos, Conwy, on May 1, 2025.
Mr Lloyd, of Bod Elian, Llanelian, was a former Denbigh High School pupil.
The inquest heard that Mr Lloyd bought his first digger more than 20 years ago, which led him to start AWL Contractors Ltd. It was heard he had a passion for trucks and heavy machinery - “something he never lost.”
Reading a statement from Mr Lloyd's partner Hayley, John Gittins, His Majesty's Senior Coroner for North Wales (East and Central), said Mr Lloyd "had a huge amount of respect for people who worked for him, especially his drivers.”
And that he cared “quietly but fiercely for those around him” and had a “quiet strength.”
The sad admission was made that May 29, 2025, had been fixed for the wedding “but it never arrived”.
Hayley said her partner's "last moments were spent in his truck with his son beside him".
Mr Gittins read from the teenager's statement.
He said that his father started unloading, moved the grab arm to the side and the grab arm hit the line.
Mr Lloyd's son had tried to tell his dad, but Mr Lloyd had already exited the vehicle.
One contractor on site said he had turned around and the arm of the lorry "was up in the air".
The inquest heard one of the contractors said: “I shouted for him to stop; I was about 20 metres away.
“I saw the tyre was burning.”
Another said he saw Mr Lloyd jump out of the cab, go to grab the controls and then collapse.
One of the men performed CPR, another called an ambulance.
One of the contractors helped Mr Lloyd's son get out of the cab safely.
The inquest heard paramedics arrived “in a matter of minutes.”
The inquest heard that Devon Locke, a Scottish Power engineer, attended the scene.
Mr Gittins read out his statement.
"The arm of a lorry had come into contact with an overhead line," he said.
"The line was off but not isolated. This involved controlling the area.
"I knew the line was off as it had tripped.
"I asked the paramedic if everyone was ok but he told me someone had been electrocuted and died."
Pathologist Dr Mark Atkinson confirmed that the cause of death for Mr Lloyd was electrocution.
Mr Gittins recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
He said to the family: "It is very clear that this is a gentleman who is hugely missed by every single one of you."
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