Pocklington farmer died after being crushed by his Range Rover
14th August 2024
An East Yorkshire farmer died after his Range Rover rolled back on him, an inquest concluded.
Henry Stamford Thirsk, 74, was discovered by his wife lying near his car on the evening of 20th April 2022 at Glebe Farm in Everingham.
Coroner Paul Marks concluded the death was accidental, with the cause of death confirmed as chest injuries, BBC News reported.
Hull Coroners Court heard that Mr Thirsk left the Range Rover in reverse when he opened his door and was subsequently run over as the vehicle “crept back” at around 7mph (11km/h).
Mr Thirsk’s wife, Sarah Jane Thirsk, said she was “hysterical” upon finding Mr Thirsk. At first she thought his body was “sacks laid on the ground”.
Dragged backwards
The farmer’s wife told the court that she had seen the headlights of the car and assumed he was watching a fox outside as he sometimes did.
She went just before 10 pm and found the engine running and two doors open, including the driver’s door. After discovering Mr Thirsk lying on his right side on the ground and not moving, Ms Thirsk said that she began CPR.
The woman was on the phone to her brother as she discovered Mr Thirsk, and he called the emergency services, the media outlet confirmed.
Despite the best efforts of Mrs Thirsk and the air ambulance, Mr Thirsk was pronounced dead at 10.45 pm.
BBC News reported that Roger Hughes, vehicle investigation worker for Jaguar Land Rover, told the court that if a Range Rover is in drive or reverse and the electronic park brake is not applied it can “creep forward” on its own.
Alexander Holmes, forensic collision investigator at West Yorkshire Police, said a pair of tyre marks found at the scene showed the vehicle had “rolled to a stop”.
Investigators also found scuff marks on the heel of Mr Thirsk’s left shoe, which were “consistent with being dragged backwards”.
Previous incident
Farmer’s son, Harry Thirsk, told the court his father had suffered two strokes and was “not the best” with machinery before his stroke, and “more unreliable” afterwards.
According to the media, Steve Baxter, manager at H S Thirsk Farms since 2016, described Mr Thirsk as a “good driver”, but said there was an incident Mr Thirsk had reported to him that took place in November 2021.
Mr Baxter told the court Mr Thirsk had taken one of his Rolls Royce vehicles on a shooting trip.
He added: “He [Mr Thirsk] thought he’d put the car into park, but as he was going to get out, he realised he had put it into reverse. He accidentally hit the throttle instead of the brake.”
Mr Thirsk was born in 1947 in Pocklington. His business assets included several farms and related properties in the Pocklington area, as well as The Feathers Hotel and the Stamford Bar and Grill, media confirmed.
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