Michael Alexa was crushed when a 165ft crane collapsed while he changed the tyre of his car on a nearby street.

The 23-year-old and crane operator John Cloake, 37, from Guildford, died instantly. Michael's body was left under the crane for five days after the accident, which happened in Thessaly Road, Battersea, a week ago.Safety teams said the debris was not secure enough to move earlier.

Now Michael's parents Doru and Liliana and girlfriend Angela Bedy,who live just yards from the scene,are demanding answers. Mum Liliana, 46, said: "We are devastated. "His body was out there in the street for all that time. We know they were doing an investigation but don't they understand how awful it was to have my son down there? I wanted to go and sleep on the street next to him."

Michael - who leaves a 13-month-old son Joshua and 11-year-old step-daughter Lauren - was finally removed from the scene on Saturday but the family say no one from the construction firm, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the council have been in touch. "We have been left in the dark," added Liliana.

Angela, 29, said: "It was Lauren's birthday the day after Michael died. She would not believe he was gone.She was waiting for her dad to come and take her out. I am heartbroken. But I am also angry. I will not rest until I have found out how this could happen.I am disgusted by the way we have been treated."

Residents from a block of flats hit by the crane - which was working on a housing development by Barratts - were expected to move back in to their homes today.

A spokeswoman for Barratts said: "We are co-operating with the authorities and will be carrying out our own investigation."