Worcestershire | Archive | 2005 | June | 8
From the archive, first published Wednesday 8th Jun 2005.
A FARMER was killed when the tractor he was fixing slipped into a slurry pit on February 4, an inquest heard.
Seventy-two-year-old Barrie Heath, a farmer from Bradley Green, was at his son Chris' farm - Park Hall in Hanbury - mixing up the slurry with an `impeller' - like a propeller - on the back of the tractor.
Mr Heath, who was well-known in the county for his involvement with the Worcestershire Hunt, got off the tractor, which was parked on the edge of a slurry lagoon, and went round the back to attend to the impeller.
The tractor slipped into the lagoon taking Mr Heath with it. His son, Chris, discovered him and tried to pull him from the pit by climbing on the sinking tractor, but to no avail.
Firefighters and specialists with lifting equipment were called to pull the tractor out.
After the tractor had slipped into the pit, photos taken show that a concrete base, which would provide a steady surface for the braking mechanism of the tractor, had been damaged.
A report by the Health and Safety Executive said: "It is not known whether this concrete gave way and allowed the tractor to roll into the lagoon, or whether the damage was caused by the tractor `bottoming out' as it slid into the lagoon.
"Or whether the damage was caused by the recovery operation as the tractor was dragged out of the lagoon."
But Coroner Victor Round could be certain that Mr Heath was a `fit person' and there could be no other cause of death than multiple crush injuries from the tractor.
The coroner gave the cause of death as accidental.
Mr Heath is survived by his wife Anne, who did not wish to make a comment to the Advertiser/Messenger.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008