Body of Nicholas Milburn Found in Billingham Waste

A crane operator at a recycling facility in Billingham discovered the body of a 45-year-old man among a load of waste material on September 24, 2025, prompting a police investigation and the suspension of operations at the site.

The man was later identified as Nicholas Milburn through fingerprint analysis conducted at the University Hospital of North Tees, which provided a positive match, according to police documentation. Cleveland Police were called to the SUEZ waste processing facility on Haverton Hill Road around 1:45 p.m. that afternoon following reports of the discovery. Officers arrived to find the body in a claw operated remotely by the worker in line three of the plant. The crane was immediately lowered to the ground, and all site activities were halted to allow for a thorough examination of the scene.

An inquest into Milburn's death opened on January 13, 2026, at the Teesside and Hartlepool Coroners Court. Paul Appleton, the area coroner, described the circumstances during the hearing. "A crane operator had been working within line three at the Haverton Hill recycling plant," Appleton stated. "They were using a remote operated claw. They picked up a quantity of waste...