Family to pursue damages claim after gardener dies

The family of a gardener who died in an accident is initiating legal proceedings.

Anthony Cripps lost his life in June last year after falling from the bucket of a digger on an organic farm.

The 57-year-old was on his way to pick elderflowers when the incident occurred.

After being run over by the seven-tonne vehicle - which was being driven by an untrained driver - he was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the family's legal team, the accident could have been prevented if proper safety procedures had been adhered to.

They added that, in the view of the family, health and safety training and risk management did not have the attention it deserved at the farm in question.

Figures produced by the Health and Safety Executive suggest that the UK saw 39 fatalities in agriculture in 2006-07.

This represents a rate of fatal injury of 9.1 per 100,000 workers in the sector.

13/10/2008 14:41