A PENSIONER who made national headlines when he was at the centre of a four-day siege at his home has been killed in a horrific accident.

George Andrews, 76, was crushed by a large oil tank he was moving at his dormer bungalow in Pound Green near Bewdley on Tuesday. the oil tank which George Andrews was attempting to move when he was involved in a freak accident.

The air ambulance was called out along with fire, police and paramedics but Mr Andrews was pronounced dead at the scene.

The retired builder made the news in August 1998 when his home was surrounded by police after reports he had threatened to burn down his house rather than pay a disputed Council Tax bill of more than £1,000.

His widow Barbara, who alerted the emergency services, was being comforted by sister Freda following the accident on Tuesday outside the garage of the house Mr Andrews built himself in 1957.

Mrs Andrews , 75, said: "I heard him call and when I went outside I saw the tank was lying on top of him, with just his face showing.

"I was shocked and confused and he told me to get help."

The 6ft 4ins tank was used to store heating oil but was empty.

A neighbour who said he knew Mr Andrews for about 30 years told the Shuttle/Times and News: "He was moving the oil tank out of the way so he could put part of a new wall there. The problem was, he was using two scissor-jacks like ones used to raise cars."

The man, who did not want to be named, said Mr Andrews was a "proud and principled man".

He said: "He was extremely able to cope with most things. He was a hard person with people he objected to but he was strong willed. He liked everything straight down the line."

The solicitor who dealt with the siege case five years ago, Paul Ford, said Mr Andrews was a "unique character".

He said: "He was very well known and well liked by people in the community.

"The case was a strange affair but Mr Andrews was strong in dealing with it."

At the time of the siege a cache of weapons including shotguns and sporting rifles were said by police to be inside the house, prompting a massive swoop which saw the village sealed off and armed officers stage a round-the-clock stake-out.

The siege ended peacefully and Mr Andrews walked free from court two months later, denying ever handling a gun during the drama and calling the subsequent police response a "massive over-reaction".

However, Supt Howard Topping, of Kidderminster Police, said at the time the pensioner was a skilled marksman who owned 27 shotguns and called the police reaction "entirely appropriate".

An inquest into Mr Andrews' death was opened and adjourned by Worcestershire coroner Victor Round in Stourport on Tuesday.

A post mortem examination will be held.