Saturday 27 November 2010

"Farmer dies after being attacked by bull"

Spotted by View From The Solent in The [Portsmouth] News:

The 58-year-old man, named locally as Ian Rook, was left with life-threatening injuries after one of his bulls turned on him at his farm in Clanfield.

According to local reports, he was badly hurt after the bull tossed him into the air. Police, an air ambulance and an ambulance were called to Manor Farm, North Lane, Clanfield, at about 3.50pm yesterday. The road was closed as emergency services dealt with the scene. Local residents said police told them the road had to be closed off for their safety as the bull was still on the loose.

The farmer was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital by ambulance, but died in hospital...

Inspector Phil Jones, from Hampshire Force Control Room, said: 'Police are able to confirm a 58-year-old local man died in an industrial incident in North Lane just before 4pm on Friday. The Health and Safety Executive have been notified and are expected to commence an investigation into the circumstances that caused the man's death on Monday morning. In the meantime, police have notified the coroner. A post-mortem is due to take place on Monday.'

He added that the death was not suspicious...

Isobel Bretherton, spokeswoman for NFU South East, said: 'Everyone in the Hampshire farming community will be very shocked at this terrible news and personally I'm very upset about it. Obviously an investigation will establish the causes of this tragedy. Ian was a very well respected farmer and very much involved in the community in Clanfield. He was also involved in local farmer watch schemes. He was a great guy and had a fantastic sense of humour. This comes as a terrible shock to everyone who knew him and is a very big loss.'

Bulls can weigh up to two tons. No information has been released yet about the fate of the bull that attacked Mr Rook.


VFTS adds: "an industrial incident"? Mass-produced bovine attacks? Worryingly close to home.

1 comments:

James Higham said...

Any about cows dying when struck by farmers?