Aberdeenshire farmer, cattle breeder and show judge Harry Emslie has been killed in a tractor accident.

Mr Emslie’s body was found beside his cab by his daughter on Brae of Coynach Farm, near Mintlaw.

Early reports suggest Mr Emslie was crushed against a wall by the tractor’s loader.

But Grampian Police described the incident as “unexplained”.

A police spokesman said: “The incident was reported to Grampian Police at 9.18am on Monday 9 June by the ambulance service who had been called to the scene by a family member.

“It would appear the 67-year-old man was fatally injured in the incident which involved a tractor unit.

“At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained. We are meantime working with the Health and Safety Executive,” the spokesman said.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive is under way and a post-mortem examination will be carried out.

Mr Emslie has been described as a larger-than-life character and one of Britain’s leading farmers, running one of the north-east of Scotland’s biggest cattle operations.

He had won numerous awards across Britain for prime cattle and his entries often won on the carcass circuit as well.

Mr Emslie judged competitions throughout Britain and Ireland.

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