A HEADSTONE that fell and killed an eight-year-old boy in a graveyard was built “similar to a child’s building block set” a fatal accident inquiry has heard.

Civil engineer Professor John Knapton, who gave advice in the United States after the Twin Towers were attacked in 2001, gave evidence at the inquiry into the death of Ciaran Williamson.

The schoolboy was playing with friends in Craigton Cemetery when a stone fell on him on May 26, 2015.

Professor Knapton described the make-up of the parts of the headstone – weighing almost a tonne – that fell on Ciaran and said it was “relatively easy” to pull the memorial over.

The inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court is to establish if there were any reasonable precautions that could have prevented the tragedy.

It will also try to establish if there were any defects in the system of work that caused or contributed to Ciaran’s death.

Professor Knapton said parts of the 7ft headstone that fell on Ciaran were “essentially similar to a child’s building block set”.

He added that “there was nothing grasping them together” although he said there was maybe some putty and said “this is essentially a building block set stacked”.

The inquiry heard he calculated the lean of the memorial that fell as being six and a half degrees and assessed that it was “relatively easy” to pull it over.

The inquiry before Sheriff Linda Ruxton continues.