Son Crushed to Death at Poultry Farm: Mum’s Heartbreaking Grief
Tracy Spencer’s world was shattered when her 19-year-old son, Ben, was tragically killed at Sunrise Poultry Farms in Loughborough. In only his second week on the job, Ben was crushed between a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and a wall on April 12, 2021.
Mum’s Devastating Loss
“My life revolved around Ben because it was always just me and him,” Tracy revealed tearfully. “Now I’ve got no life. I keep my distance even from my family because I just can’t cope with feeling close to anyone.”
She clings to memories of happier times. “I dream of Ben when he was younger. I’d give anything to go back to those days standing by the football pitch in the freezing cold, watching him play.”
Fatal Safety Failings at Workplace
The tragic accident happened when an HGV was attempting a tricky manoeuvre near a narrow path at the farm’s Seagrave Road site, just as Ben was walking nearby.
Investigations by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) exposed shocking safety lapses. Measures to separate pedestrians from moving vehicles were “wholly inadequate.”
Sunrise Poultry Farms pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations and was hit with a £233,000 fine plus nearly £9,000 in costs at Loughborough Magistrates’ Court on November 22, 2023.
Judgment and Calls for Workplace Safety
Tracy still struggles every day. “I can’t bring myself to go into Ben’s bedroom. It’s just like he’s still there. I cry when I leave the house and when I return. If I could, I’d just curl up and disappear.”
HSE Enforcement Lawyer Andy Siddall slammed the fatal oversights. “Accidents like this should never happen. No mother should watch her son die at work.” He urged bosses to review all risks involving workplace vehicles to protect staff.
HSE inspector Alex Nayar added: “Ben’s death was entirely preventable. Proper safety measures could have saved his life.”
