FATHER DIES TRYING TO SAVE HIS SON AFTER BOTH BECOME TRAPPED IN CHESHIRE FARM SLURRY TANK

ALAN FORD, 72, ENTERED THE TANK AFTER HIS SON RICK, 42, GOT INTO DIFFICULTY

A father died after entering a slurry tank in an attempt to save his son, turning what began as farm repair work into a devastating tragedy that claimed the lives of both men.

Alan Ford, 72, and his son Richard “Rick” Ford, 42, died at their family farm in Aston-by-Budworth, Cheshire, on August 26, 2026.

The latest details emerged during an inquest into their deaths, which heard that Rick had entered the tank to carry out work on a pipe before getting into difficulty. Alan then entered the tank in an attempt to help his son.

Both men eventually became unresponsive.

Emergency services were called to the farm on Cann Lane at approximately 12:20 p.m. after reports of an industrial incident. Police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency responders attended and recovered the two men from the tank.

Despite the rescue efforts, both were pronounced dead at the scene.

A FATHER’S DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO SAVE HIS SON

The circumstances surrounding the deaths became clearer when the inquest was opened at Cheshire Coroners’ Court in Warrington.

According to evidence reported from the hearing, Rick, who lived at the farm and was a father of five, had gone into the tank to repair a pipe.

Something went wrong while he was inside.

Rick then encountered difficulties, and his father Alan entered the tank in an attempt to rescue him.

The decision had devastating consequences.

Alan was unable to bring his son out, and both men ultimately had to be recovered by emergency crews. Neither survived.

Authorities have not publicly established a final cause of death or released a complete account of exactly what happened inside the tank.

The investigation remains ongoing.

EMERGENCY CREWS RUSHED TO THE FARM

Cheshire Police said officers were called shortly after midday on August 26 following reports of an industrial incident at a farm on Cann Lane.

Firefighters and ambulance crews attended alongside police.

The two men were eventually rescued from the industrial tank, but police said that despite the efforts of everyone involved, both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Their next of kin were informed, and the family requested privacy following the tragedy.

The incident also brought inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive, the UK’s workplace health and safety regulator, into the investigation.

Cheshire Police and the HSE are working together to establish what happened and whether any safety issues contributed to the deaths.

WHY SLURRY TANKS ARE SO DANGEROUS

Slurry tanks are used on farms to store animal waste and other agricultural material.

They can become extremely hazardous because decomposition can produce dangerous gases, including hydrogen sulphide, methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Sky News reported that high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide can cause a person to lose consciousness extremely rapidly. Rescue attempts can therefore become especially dangerous when someone enters a confined agricultural space without appropriate equipment.

However, investigators have not publicly confirmed that toxic gas exposure was the specific cause of Alan or Rick Ford’s deaths.

That distinction remains important while the police and HSE investigation continues.

A FAMILY DEEPLY CONNECTED TO CHESHIRE FARMING

Alan and Rick were not only farmers. They were also well-known figures within Cheshire’s agricultural community.

Alan had served as chairman and director of the Cheshire Agricultural Society before retiring from those positions in April 2026.

Rick had served as a director of the organisation for several years.

The Royal Cheshire County Show paid tribute to both men following their deaths, describing the Ford family’s long contribution to the society.

A statement issued by the organisation said the family had worked tirelessly for the society over many years and that Alan and Rick would be greatly missed by those who knew them.

The organisation also expressed its sympathy and support for the Ford family during what it described as an extremely difficult time.

Their deaths were felt particularly strongly across the farming community, where both men had spent years building professional and personal connections.

THE INQUEST WILL CONTINUE

An inquest into the deaths was opened at Cheshire Coroners’ Court.

Area coroner Victoria Davies opened proceedings before the case was adjourned to allow the wider investigation to continue.

The next stage of the inquest is scheduled for February 25, 2027.

By then, investigators from Cheshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive are expected to have had more time to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Until that investigation is complete, the full sequence of events inside the tank remains under examination.

A TRAGEDY THAT BEGAN WITH A SIMPLE REPAIR

For the Ford family, the tragedy is difficult to separate from the simple chain of events that preceded it.

Rick entered the tank to work on a pipe.

He then got into difficulty.

His father followed him in an attempt to help.

Minutes later, emergency crews were fighting to recover both men.

What happened next left a farming family without two generations at once — a 42-year-old father of five and his 72-year-old father.

Their deaths have left relatives grieving and a wider agricultural community mourning two men who had devoted much of their lives to farming and to the Cheshire Agricultural Society.

The investigation continues, and the February 2027 inquest hearing is expected to provide further answers about how the fatal incident unfolded.

For now, one of the most painful facts remains clear: Alan Ford entered the tank because his son was in trouble. Neither father nor son came back out.