FATHER AND SON DIE AFTER FALLING INTO SLURRY TANK AT CHESHIRE FARM

A father and son have died after falling into an industrial slurry tank at a farm in Cheshire, England, in a tragic incident that has prompted an investigation by police and workplace safety authorities.

The victims were identified as Alan Ford, 72, and his son Rick Ford, 42. Their deaths were confirmed after emergency crews responded to the farm on Cann Lane in Aston-by-Budworth, near Northwich, on August 26, 2026.

EMERGENCY CREWS RUSHED TO THE FARM

Cheshire Police said officers were called at around 12:20 p.m. following reports of an industrial incident.

Firefighters, police officers and ambulance crews attended the scene, where they found two men had fallen into an industrial slurry or silage tank.

Emergency responders managed to recover both men from the tank. However, despite efforts at the scene, both were pronounced dead.

Police said the victims’ next of kin had been informed and that an investigation was underway to establish exactly what happened. The family has asked for privacy during the difficult period.

Authorities have not publicly established how the two men fell into the tank or what work they were carrying out at the time.

ALAN AND RICK REMEMBERED BY THE CHESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

The deaths prompted an emotional tribute from the Cheshire Agricultural Society, where both men had played important roles.

Alan Ford had served as chairman and director of the society before retiring from those positions in April 2026.

His son Rick had served as a director for several years.

In a statement shared by the Royal Cheshire County Show, the society described the deaths as a tragic loss and said the Ford family had worked tirelessly for the organisation over many years.

The statement said both Alan and Rick would be “very sadly missed” by those who knew them.

The family was also offered condolences as investigators continued examining the circumstances of the accident.

WHAT HAPPENED INSIDE THE TANK REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION

Slurry tanks are used in agriculture to store mixtures of animal waste and other materials before they are used or disposed of.

Such enclosed agricultural tanks can present serious safety risks because decomposing organic material can produce hazardous gases, including hydrogen sulphide, methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide. Sky News notes that high concentrations of some of these gases can cause a person to lose consciousness very quickly.

However, authorities have not publicly confirmed the specific cause of Alan and Rick Ford’s deaths or said whether toxic gases played a role in this particular incident.

The Health and Safety Executive, Britain’s workplace safety regulator, also attended the farm as the investigation continued.

A FAMILY AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY IN MOURNING

For the agricultural community in Cheshire, the deaths represented the loss of two people who had been closely involved with the Cheshire Agricultural Society.

Alan had only recently stepped down from his leadership role, while Rick had continued serving as a director.

Their deaths have left colleagues, friends and family mourning two generations of the same farming family.

As investigators work to establish precisely how the accident occurred, the Ford family’s request for privacy remains in place.

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths is ongoing.