The mother and father of TV presenter Phil Spencer died on account of an accident on their household farm after their automobile overturned in a river, a coroner has concluded.
Richard Spencer, 89, often known as David, and Anne Spencer, 82, had been chatting as they drove for lunch when their automobile tipped over the sting of a bridge and plunged right into a river in Littlebourne, Kent, on August 18.
The couple, who had been farmers, had been submerged in round three toes of water and had been pronounced lifeless at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mom Hospital in Margate.
A full inquest into the couple’s demise came about at Oakwood Home in Maidstone, Kent, in the present day. Coroner Sarah Clarke learn a assertion from Detective Sergeant Chris Wade of the Kent Police Critical Collision Investigation Unit, who led the investigation into the couple’s deaths.
She mentioned Anne was driving a automobile, which she had owned since 2022, down a slim, single-track highway from the household dwelling in direction of a bridge on their land, which handed over the Nail Bourne River, round 12.20pm on August 18.
Location, Location, Location star Phil Spencer’s mother and father (pictured with mom) Richard and Anne had been reportedly leaving their farm to journey to a pub after they crashed right into a river
Phil tragically revealed how his mother and father ’would have held palms below the water’ within the crash
Richard, who was affected by dementia, and Anne, who had Parkinson’s, pictured in 2014
The personal highway provided vehicular entry for these residing on the farm and was not utilized by the general public.
DS Wade mentioned the highway floor approaching the bridge was ’uneven in locations’, including: ’The highway rises up onto a concrete-brick constructed bridge which permits visitors to cross the Nail Bourne river.’
He continued: ’The bridge is extraordinarily slim and produces an S-bend. The slight incline onto the bridge severely restricts view of the near-side and off-side edges of the highway.’
DS Wade mentioned Richard was within the entrance passenger seat of the automobile, and the couple’s full-time, live-in carer Veronica Francis – who had been employed to assist with their treatment and meals – was at the back of the car, sitting behind Richard.
The inquest heard they had been leaving their farm to exit for lunch. Richard and Anne had been chatting as they approached the bridge.
DS Wade mentioned Anne appeared to veer barely offside, inflicting the offside tyre to slide off the bridge. The automobile struck the underside of the river and induced the automobile to overturn, submerging all three occupants in round three toes of water.
Ms Clarke additionally learn an announcement from the couple’s carer Veronica, through which she mentioned she positioned her cellular to name Robert – who runs the farm and lives in one other property on the land – for assist, however was unable to get sign. She was ultimately capable of get out of the automobile and went to search out him.
DS Wade continued: ’Robert managed to extract his mother and father by way of the respective doorways however each had been unconscious. CPR continued till the arrival of the paramedics.’
Tributes had been left on the spot the place the Location, Location, Location star’s mother and father died
Richard and Anne had been reportedly leaving their farm to journey to a neighborhood pub for lunch on Friday when their automobile drifted right into a shallow river
Phil’s father David was additionally affected by dementia on the time of his demise whereas his mom Anne had Parkinson’s illness.
Ms Clarke had beforehand mentioned paramedics arrived at round 12.57pm and took Mr Spencer and Mrs Spencer to the QEQM.
She added that Mr Spencer died from a lung damage known as aspiration pneumonitis attributable to close to drowning. Mrs Spencer died from aspiration pneumonia, a hypoxic-ischaemic mind damage, and close to drowning.
She mentioned there was nothing of relevance in both toxicology report and subsequently concluded it was an unintended demise.
Hypoxic-ischemic mind damage is attributable to a scarcity of oxygen to the mind, whereas aspiration pneumonia is an an infection of the lungs attributable to inhaling meals or liquid.
She instructed the inquest: ’These circumstances are a number of the most tragic I’ve ever heard. I’m so saddened for the household.
’The one conclusion that may be reached is that each Mr and Mrs Spencer died as the results of an accident.
’It solely stays for me to cross on my condolences to the household.’
DS Wade mentioned the couple had lived and labored on the farm for his or her complete lives and that Anne was ’very accustomed to the roads out and in of the farm.’
He concluded the accident was seemingly attributable to ’a lapse in focus’ by Anne.
He mentioned: ’It is a most tragic incident which seems to have occurred attributable to probably a momentary lapse of focus on behalf of Mrs Spencer.
’The bridge requires an excessive amount of care to barter because it’s extraordinarily slim with restricted visibility.
Phil’s (left) Location, Location, Location co-host Kirstie Allsopp (proper) paid tribute to the mother and father of her shut buddy
’Regardless of Mrs Spencer being accustomed to these roads, she seems to have momentarily steered to the offside with tragic penalties.
’There isn’t any proof of third occasion involvement, car defects or exterior circumstances resulting in this.’
TV star Phil didn’t attend the inquest, however certainly one of his sisters was current.
The 54-year-old presenter instructed of his devastation again in August as he shared an image of the couple to his social media and wrote: ’As a household, we’re all attempting to carry onto the actual fact Mum and Dad went collectively and that neither will ever should mourn the lack of the opposite one. Which is a blessing in itself.
’Though they had been each on extraordinarily good kind within the days earlier than (therefore the sudden concept to exit to lunch), Mum’s Parkinson’s and Dad’s Dementia had been worsening and the long run future was set to be a problem.
Phil’s brother Robert battled to save lots of their mother and father by utilizing a penknife to chop their seat belts and pull them from the river. They had been unable to be revived.
The 54-year-old presenter instructed of his devastation again in August as he shared an image of the couple to his social media and wrote: ’As a household, we’re all attempting to carry onto the actual fact Mum and Dad went collectively and that neither will ever should mourn the lack of the opposite one. Which is a blessing in itself.
’Though they had been each on extraordinarily good kind within the days earlier than (therefore the sudden concept to exit to lunch), Mum’s Parkinson’s and Dad’s Dementia had been worsening and the long run future was set to be a problem.
Phil Spencer posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram the place he shared that his mother and father’ diseases had been ’worsening’
The charming Kent village of Littlebourne has simply 1,500 residents and has lengthy been dwelling to the Spencer household
Phil has spoken prior to now about his love of the place he grew up and being the son of a farmer (Pictured: Littlebourne)
’A lot in order that Mum mentioned to me solely every week in the past that she had resigned to pondering ’now it seems like we are going to in all probability go collectively’. And they also did.
’That was what God had deliberate for them – and it was a superb plan.’
He additionally revealed particulars in regards to the crash. Writing on Instagram, he mentioned: ’The automobile, going very slowly, toppled over a bridge on the farm drive, the wrong way up into the river. There have been no bodily accidents and I very a lot doubt they might have even fought it – they might have held palms below the water and quietly slipped away.
’Their carer was within the automobile and managed to climb out of a again window so the alarm was raised fairly rapidly.’
The highway the place the accident occurred can be a bridle path and a well-liked spot for locals to stroll their canines.
The Spencer household have owned Garrington Farm for many years.
Phil’s hassle Robert runs the farm which has each beef cattle and arable land close to Howletts Wild Animal Farm.