FATHER, 72, DIES TRYING TO SAVE HIS SON, 42, IN TRAGIC FARM TANK ACCIDENT

A 72-YEAR-OLD FATHER DIED AFTER ENTERING A FARM SLURRY TANK TO TRY TO SAVE HIS 42-YEAR-OLD SON — WITH BOTH MEN LOSING THEIR LIVES IN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT IN CHESHIRE.

A father and son have died in a devastating farming accident after they both ended up inside an industrial tank at their family farm in Cheshire, England.

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

The tragedy has left Cheshire’s farming community mourning two men who were both closely involved with the region’s agricultural community.

RICK ENTERED THE TANK TO REPAIR A PIPE

An inquest heard that Rick, who lived at the farm and was a father of five, had entered the tank to carry out work on a pipe.

He subsequently got into difficulty inside the tank.

His father Alan then entered the tank in an attempt to help him.

Emergency services were called at approximately 12:20 p.m. after reports of an industrial incident.

Police, firefighters and ambulance crews, including air ambulance personnel, rushed to the farm.

Both men were eventually recovered from the tank.

Despite the efforts of emergency responders, they were pronounced dead at the scene.

A TRAGEDY THAT SHOCKED CHESHIRE’S FARMING COMMUNITY

The deaths of Alan and Rick were particularly devastating because of their long-standing connections to the Cheshire Agricultural Society and the Royal Cheshire County Show.

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

Rick had been a director of the organisation for several years.

Following the tragedy, the society paid tribute to both men and said the Ford family had worked tirelessly for the organisation over many years.

The family asked for privacy while relatives and friends came to terms with the loss.

INQUEST OPENED INTO THE DEATHS

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

Area coroner Victoria Davies opened proceedings before adjourning the case.

The hearing has been postponed until February 25, 2027, allowing investigators additional time to establish exactly what happened.

Cheshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are carrying out a joint investigation.

Authorities have not yet released a final determination of the precise circumstances surrounding the deaths.

A DANGEROUS FARM ENVIRONMENT

The incident has also drawn attention to the dangers associated with working inside or around agricultural tanks.

The exact sequence of events inside the tank remains part of the investigation, and authorities have not yet established a final cause of death.

For now, investigators are continuing to examine what happened when Rick entered the tank and what prompted Alan to follow him.

TWO MEN REMEMBERED FOR THEIR COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

For people who knew the Ford family, the tragedy represents the loss of two respected figures in Cheshire’s agricultural community.

Alan had spent years supporting the Cheshire Agricultural Society, while Rick had also taken an active role in the organisation.

Their deaths came suddenly, leaving relatives, friends and colleagues mourning a father and son who had worked alongside each other in the farming community.

The investigation continues, with the full circumstances of the tragedy expected to become clearer as police, the HSE and the coroner examine the evidence.

For the Ford family, the tragedy remains especially heartbreaking: a father entered the tank after his son got into difficulty, and neither man came home.