An inquest has been opened after a man from south Essex was struck by a lorry as he stood at the side of the M25 near Upminster.

Police were called to junction 29 in the early hours of Sunday, September 8, after receiving a report of “a collision between a lorry and pedestrians stood on the hard shoulder”.

“Officers attended along with London Ambulance Service paramedics and treated two men,” said the Metropolitan Police.

“Despite their best efforts, one of the men died at the scene.”

That man has now been named in court as 34-year-old Naufil Shah, of Corringham Road in Stanford-le-Hope.

An inquest was opened into his death at East London Coroner’s Court, Walthamstow, on Thursday, September 19.

“He died on the M25 at junction 29,” said senior coroner Graeme Irvine.

“His death was referred to this court by the Metropolitan Police Service on the 8th of September and a preliminary investigation was opened to determine the cause of death.

“A post-mortem was authorised by the court and a cause of death has been offered as multiple injuries caused by road traffic collision.

“Given those circumstances, I will open an inquest. The reason I will open the inquest is it’s clear to me that Mr Shah died a violent death, as it is described within the statute, as a result of a road traffic collision.”

He declared Mr Shah’s next of kin an interested person in the inquest, giving them the right to interrogate evidence and question witnesses when the case returns to court.

“I will also make the Metropolitan Police Service an interested person as they are investigating the death,” said Mr Irvine.

He ordered records and statements from the ambulance service, the air ambulance service, Mr Shah’s GP, and the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem.

He also ordered “an update from the senior investigating officer regarding any forensic or criminal investigation”.

The inquest was listed for April 2, 2025.

Police said there had been no arrests as yet.

Officers urged anybody with dash cam footage from the time around the collision – which occurred shortly before 3.56am on September 8 – was urged to call 101 and quote CAD 1299/08SEP.