The first ATV Lifeguard rollover protection hoops to be sold in the UK have gone to the Duke of Bedford’s estate at Woburn in Bedfordshire. Both went on to Yamaha YFM 450 Grizzlys.

See also: Lifeguard ATV rollover protection could cut deaths

The point of the LifeGuard is to spread the weight of the vehicle evenly across the rider’s body to minimise injury and it Is rated for ATVs up to 500kg in weight. It’s now available from Bedfordshire company MKM Agriculture and costs £750.

The New Zealand-made unit uses a 15kg hoop that contains no metal.

Instead, it uses a series of segmented, thick plastic bricks held together by strong nylon cords.

The whole thing is covered by a neoprene-type cover and there’s a cord tensioning system to keep the right degree of resilience.

Deaths and injuries caused by ATV overturns in Australia and New Zealand are high, partly because farmers there use them so much but also because of the terrain. 

A total of 22 people died from ATV injuries in Australia in 2013 and a further 21 in New Zealand. There were also 900 accidents involving ATVs in Australia in 2013.