Rishton grandad dies in farmyard accident

5:27pm Monday 28th April 2008

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A GRANDFATHER was trapped in a mechanical digger and died in a farmyard accident.

Retired company director Tony Taylor, 66, was driving a Bobcat with a metal 'bucket' on the front at his home in Whalley Old Road, Rishton, when the incident happened on Sunday afternoon.

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He was found by a neighbouring farmer, Robert Douglas, who raised the alarm.

He said Mr Taylor was trapped in the vehicle, which was against the wall of a cow shed and appeared to be already dead.

The air ambulance was mobilised but Mr Taylor, who was well known in Rishton, was declared dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination will be carried out and the coroner has been informed of the death.

Police have taken the Bobcat away to be examined for possible faults.

Mr Taylor, along with his brother, Alan, founded Truseal, a mastic application firm based in High Street, Rishton. The company specialises in rubber and plastic products.

He leaves his wife, Kathleen, daughter Suzanne Bellard, son-in-law Andrew and four grandchildren, Alex, 17, Sam, 15, Joshua, 9, and William, 7.

Daughter Suzanne said the family were devastated by her father's death.

She said that he had been planting tomato plants in his greenhouse and was using the Bobcat to bring manure from the muck tip at time of the accident.

She added: "We don't know what happened to cause this tragic accident, hopefully the police inquiries and the inquest will provide us with some answers.

"My dad was very well known in Rishton and we are very grateful for all the sympathy that has been shown by his many friends."

Son-in-law Andrew Bellard described Mr Taylor as a "larger than life" character who always had a joke to tell and was generous to a fault.

He said: "He will be sadly missed, not just by his family but by the many, many people who had the privilege of enjoying his company."

Inspector Steve Dowson, of Blackburn Police, added: "The post mortem examination will be held and there are no suspicious circumstances.

"The Health and Safety Executive has been informed about the incident."