The 46-year-old was killed when a 20m-long tree branch fell on him at around 10am on Saturday at the prestigious Pyramid Club in Goodwood Hill.

The contract worker for landscaping firm Crystalene Product(s) was doing upgrading work there.

His co-worker Fardullah Hulbaid, 26, heard a 15cm-thick branch snap and saw it falling. He shouted to Mr Noordin but it was too late.

'He was standing nearest to the tree and could not run in time. After the branch hit him, blood came out from his mouth,' said Mr Fardullah, a colleague of six years.

The police were alerted and Mr Noordin was pronounced dead at 10.23 am by the paramedics.

Mr Fardullah said it was not windy when the incident occurred and they were not wearing helmets.

Mr Noordin's wife Besah Abdul Rahaman, 54, said she was getting ready for work when she got a call from the police at around 11.30am.

'I didn't know what to say as I just couldn't believe what had happened,' said the health assistant who works at Changi General Hospital.

The couple were married for 19 years and had two children, aged 15 and 12.

Read the full report in The Sunday Times.