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

A father died in a desperate attempt to save his son after both became trapped inside a large farm tank in Cheshire, England.

Alan Ford, 72, and his son Richard “Rick” Ford, 42, died following a tragic farming incident at their family farm in Aston by Budworth, near Northwich, Cheshire, on August 26, 2026.

Emergency services were called to the farm on Cann Lane at around 12:20 p.m. after receiving reports of an industrial incident.

Police, firefighters and ambulance crews rushed to the scene, where they discovered that two men had fallen into an industrial tank.

Both men were eventually rescued from the tank by emergency crews, but despite efforts to save them, they were pronounced dead at the scene.

RICK HAD ENTERED THE TANK TO REPAIR A PIPE

Further details emerged during an inquest into the deaths.

According to evidence reported from the hearing, Rick, who lived at the farm and was a father of five, had entered the tank while carrying out work to repair a pipe.

He subsequently encountered difficulties inside the tank.

His father Alan then entered in an attempt to help and rescue his son.

The decision would have devastating consequences, with both men ultimately losing their lives.

The exact circumstances of what happened inside the tank remain the subject of a joint investigation by Cheshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

EMERGENCY CREWS RUSHED TO THE FARM

The incident triggered a major emergency response.

Police, fire crews and ambulance teams, including air ambulance support, attended the family farm after the alarm was raised.

Cann Lane was closed while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Although the two men were recovered from the tank, neither could be saved.

Cheshire Police confirmed that the men’s next of kin had been informed and said the family had requested privacy during the difficult period.

Authorities have not publicly established a definitive cause of death.

BOTH MEN WERE WELL KNOWN IN CHESHIRE’S FARMING COMMUNITY

Alan and Rick were not only farmers but also prominent figures within Cheshire’s agricultural community.

Alan had served as chairman and director of the Cheshire Agricultural Society, which runs the Royal Cheshire County Show.

He retired from his roles in April 2026, after years of involvement with the organisation.

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

Following news of their deaths, the Cheshire Agricultural Society paid tribute to the father and son, saying the Ford family had worked tirelessly for the organisation over many years.

The society said both Alan and Rick would be deeply missed by everyone who knew them.

Their deaths prompted an outpouring of grief from people involved in farming and the wider Cheshire community.

Tributes described the pair as hardworking and highly respected members of the agricultural community.

INQUEST INTO THE DEATHS

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

The hearing was subsequently adjourned to allow investigators more time to establish exactly what happened.

A joint investigation involving Cheshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive, Britain’s workplace health and safety regulator, is continuing.

The next stage of the inquest is expected to provide further information about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

A FAMILY TRAGEDY

The tragedy has devastated the Ford family and left the local farming community mourning two generations of the same family.

What began as work being carried out on a farm quickly turned into a desperate rescue attempt.

Rick entered the tank while working on a pipe. When he encountered trouble, his 72-year-old father followed him in an effort to help.

Neither man returned home.

Their deaths have also highlighted the dangers associated with agricultural work and large farm tanks, while authorities continue investigating precisely how the incident unfolded.

For the people who knew Alan and Rick through farming and the Cheshire Agricultural Society, the tragedy represents the loss of two familiar figures who had devoted many years to the agricultural community.

A father went into the tank trying to save his son — and both lives were ultimately lost in the heartbreaking accident.