Bin crew tried to revive driver as lorry killed shoppers

A CREW member on the bin lorry that killed six Christmas shoppers punched the unconscious driver as it careered across a Glasgow square and screamed: “You’re killing people, Harry.”

Matthew Telford, 46, told a fatal accident inquiry there was “panic” inside the vehicle as experienced driver Harry Clarke, 58, collapsed at the wheel.

On an emotional first day of the inquiry, during which graphic footage was shown to the court, he described his attempts to awaken his colleague.

Relatives of those who died listened to an account of the lorry’s journey from Queen Street to George Square in the centre of Glasgow, where it came to rest when it hit a hotel.

The family members chose to leave Glasgow Sheriff Court while video was played showing victims being hit.

The inquiry also heard of pedestrians fleeing its path and a couple throwing a buggy containing their three- year-old granddaughter to safety. Mr Telford, part of the three-man crew, said they were chatting on December 22 when he felt the vehicle veer left. He yelled: “What are you ------- doing? You’re killing people, Harry.”

He said the driver’s head was slumped to one side, and his “whole body slumped to the left”. His hands were not on the steering wheel and he was being held up by his seat belt.

Mr Telford added: “I was stretching my seat belt and started punching him on the back to get a response.”

The witness struggled to continue with his evidence as he described the lorry hitting three female pedestrians.

When it stopped, he and colleague Henry Toal tried to help Mr Clarke, who was unconscious, groaning and “grey”. Around five minutes later, the driver asked what had happened.

The court heard that there were unopened bottles of beer in the bin lorry’s cab, but Mr Telford said he had no knowledge of them. The inquiry is expected to last around six weeks.