THE inquest into the Avonmouth Bridge gantry tragedy opened yesterday with a dramatic simulation of the moment the platform gave way sending four men, including one from Newport, falling to their death.

Jeff Williams, 42, from Llanthewy Road, Newport, was working on the gantry, 80 feet above the M11, when it came off the rails.

The inquest at Bristol Coroner's Court heard that Mr Williams, a married father of four, died from multiple injuries in the tragedy, along with 40-year-old Andrew Rogers, from Middlesborough, Ronald Hill, 38, from Glasgow and 23-year-old Paul Stewart from Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Bristol coroner Brian Whitehouse and a jury of three men and five women, heard evidence from Cardiff-based Health and Safety Officer Roger Jones, who compiled a report into the incident.

Mr Jones showed the court a computer simulation of the moment the gantry came off its rails.

He added that a combination of winds blowing the gantry and a lack of adequate end-stops on the beams meant that the southern end of the platform came off the rails.

"The wind was the most likely cause of unexpected movement on the gantry," he said.

"There were no defects on the platform structure which would have caused it to detach."

Mr Jones added: "The beam clamps (which were used as end stops) were not enough to restrain the gantry."

The inquest into the deaths of the four men is expected to last a week.

The men had been working on the gantry to install new rails on the bridge and carry out maintenance.