Dermot Clancy: Company boss crushed by mower while cutting grass

Dermot Clancy Image copyright South Beds News Agency
Image caption Dermot Clancy was found underneath a tractor-mower in a field near his home

A company boss was crushed to death by a mower which tipped on him while he was cutting grass, an inquest heard.

Dermot Clancy was discovered underneath the tractor-mower in a hollow in a field he owned near his home in Penn, Buckinghamshire, on 10 September.

The joint chair of London-based construction firm Clancy Group, was found by his wife and neighbours after she raised the alarm.

Coroner Crispin Butler said Mr Clancy, 67, died as a result of misadventure.

The senior coroner for Buckinghamshire told the inquest: "The tractor has fallen on Mr Clancy when he was doing something he liked to do on his land.

"It is a very, very sad accident. It was an ordinary activity that sadly went tragically wrong."

Image copyright South Beds News Agency
Image caption The inquest in Beaconsfield heard there were no defects with the tractor-mower

The inquest in Beaconsfield heard father-of-five Mr Clancy was found by his wife and neighbours Giles and Sue Robinson.

"His legs were out from under the vehicle. I touched his back and he was cold. I could not see his face," said Mr Robinson.

Mr Clancy was pronounced dead the scene. His cause of death was found to be traumatic asphyxia.

Det Con Lucy Berry of Thames Valley Police, told the inquest: "I was made aware he did enjoy mowing the lawn. The house was really far back from the land [where he was found].

"It was very, very steep. You had to go to the edge to see down into the dip."

The mower was found to have no defects.

At the time of his death, his family issued a statement which said: "His huge personality, his smiles, cheeky disposition and bigheartedness will be a loss to the hundreds of lives he touched."