A man’s body was discovered among waste at a recycling center in Billingham by a crane operator named Nicholas Milburn. The incident took place at the Haverton Hill recycling facility on September 24, 2025, leading to a temporary halt in operations for a police investigation.

Police confirmed the identity of the deceased as Mr. Milburn through fingerprint analysis conducted at the University Hospital of North Tees. A post mortem examination determined the cause of death as “chest injuries.” The area coroner, Paul Appleton, mentioned that the crane operator found the body while working with a remote-operated claw at the recycling plant.

Cleveland Police indicated that the 45-year-old man’s death was not considered suspicious after a Home Office Post Mortem examination. The inquest has been adjourned without a set date for the next hearing.