Two men fatally crushed by straw bales on Cambridgeshire farm

A father and son have been found dead after being crushed by straw bales in an accident on a farm in Cambridgeshire.

The father, aged in his 70s and his son, aged in his 40s, were killed at Cross Bank Drove in Soham on Saturday 2 March.

Cambridgeshire Police and the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene along with ambulance staff.

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A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire police told Farmers Weekly that the incident is not being treated as suspicious, and it will be handled by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

“We were called to an industrial incident at Cross Bank Drove, Soham, at about 1.50pm on Saturday (March 2).

“Fire and ambulance also attended. Two men, one in his 70s and the other in his 40s, died at the scene.

“The incident is non-suspicious and has been referred to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).”

The incident comes as the latest HSE farm fatalities report reveals that, in the period from April 2022 to March 2023, there were 27 fatalities as a result of agriculture-related activities.

Over the past five years, older workers over the age of 45 have accounted for 80% of agricultural fatalities. 

Agriculture has the worst rate of worker fatal injury of all main industry sectors, with an average annual fatality rate 21 times higher than the all-industry figures.