A VERDICT of accidental death has been recorded on a teenager who died while on a trip to a quarry in the Malvern Hills.

Yunus Moolla, aged 17, from Gloucester, died on July 3, 2001 at Gullet Quarry.

Andrew Barker, who was head of sixth form at Central Technology College, Gloucester, at the time of the trip, declined to give evidence after being told yesterday by Worcestershire coroner Victor Round that he could choose not to give evidence if he felt it could incriminate him at that hearing or later hearings.

Benedict Recordon, solicitor representing Mr Barker at the coroner's court, Stourport-on-Severn, said it was a difficult position.

"Mr Barker would like to put to the family his point of view because he in no way wants to be seen to be difficult in determining the events that led to Yunus's death.

"But he would like to exercise that ability to object to answering questions," he said.

Mr Barker was asked by the jury if he felt a lifebelt would have made a difference had one been in the area.

Mr Barker said: "I think it would have depended on where it was and who was by it."

He also confirmed he was the only teacher on the trip and the driver of the minibus.

Shabir Bahm, representing the Moolla family, told the inquest there was a lot of "conflicting evidence from the family's point of view" and they hoped Mr Barker "would be able to reduce" that confusion.

Barbecue

The jury heard on Wednesday how Yunus drowned while swimming in the quarry lake.

The group of business study pupils on a barbecue returned to the minibus after another student got into difficulties while swimming.

But the inquest heard Yunus left the minibus and said he wanted to clean his trainers. After five minutes, Mr Barker went to check on Yunus who was swimming across the lake when he got into difficulties.

Despite the efforts of Mr Barker and another swimmer, Yunus drowned.

The coroner said there had been another drowning at the quarry since Yunus died.

And he told the jury before they retired to consider their verdict: "Accidental death does not mean it can't be helped. It does not mean it was unavoidable."

Following the inquest, Yunus's father, Ismail Moolla, who now has a 10-month old son named Yunus, said: "Yunus was a very respectful, strong and quite a sensible individual and very friendly. He had a good future ahead of him and he enjoyed life in general.

"The inquest has been a tough and a long pro cess for the family. Whether as a consequence the college itself will have to answer further inquiries and questions, remains to be seen."

Mr Barker said he had no comment following the inquest.