Police were alerted that a man had been struck by a falling mast at Hallmeadow Place at around 9.45am.

Emergency services were called out to the scene of the incident but the man, who was an employee of piling contractor Van Elle, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Confirming the death, police said the incident will be investigated by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.45am on Thursday, January 21, we were called to a report of a mast having fallen on a 52-year-old man at a building site on Hallmeadow Place, Annan.

“Enquiries into the incident will be carried out alongside the Health and Safety Executive.

“A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”

The HSE confirmed it had been aware of the incident and had gone to the site to help police with the investigation.

Developer Ashleigh (Scotland) Ltd was in charge of the site.

In a statement, a spokesman said: “We are devastated to confirm a fatality on our Hallmeadow, Annan site (yesterday) morning. Whilst full details are still to be established, our immediate thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of the operative involved.

“The wellbeing of anybody working on our sites is absolutely paramount to us.

“A full investigation will be carried out, and we are working with all of the relevant authorities in this regard.

“We have closed the site to allow the investigation to be concluded.”

A spokesperson for Van Elle told the Construction Index: “Everyone at Van Elle was very sorry to hear that a haulier working for us tragically died in Annan on Thursday 21st January. The exact cause of the incident is unclear at this time; we will be working with the HSE to understand what happened and what lessons can be learned. Our thoughts are, naturally, with the family and friends of the deceased.”

Ashleigh is currently delivering 130 affordable homes for Cunninghame Housing Association at the site.