Tributes have been pouring in following the death of Ben Goldsmith’s teenage daughter after a quad bike incident on the family farm.
Tributes have been pouring in following the death of Ben Goldsmith’s teenage daughter after a quad bike incident on the family farm.
Avon and Somerset Police were called to the scene at about 3.15pm on Monday (July 8) to a farm in the North Brewham area of Somerset, following the sudden death of a teenage girl.
Iris, 15, was the eldest of Mr Goldsmith’s five children. She reportedly became trapped when the vehicle overturned.
A family friend told the Daily Mail: “This is the most awful accident.
“Iris was a complete firecracker – an absolute delight. Everyone in the family loved her to bits.
“She was beautiful, charming, intelligent, wonderful company and absolutely the loveliest person you could meet.”
South Western Ambulance Service attended the scene, sending an air ambulance crew, a critical care team, a land ambulance crew and two other paramedic officers.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police added: “The girl’s death is not being treated as suspicious and officers are now carrying out enquiries on behalf of the coroner.”
Financier and outspoken environmentalist Mr Goldsmith was appointed a non-executive director to the Defra board by Defra Secretary Michael Gove in March 2018.
The industry will be rallying round during Farm Safety Week next week (July 15 -19) to highlight the importance of farm safety and staying safe in and around the workplace.
Farmers are reminded of the advice around child safety on farm, with the Farm Safety Partnership pushing messages that children under the age of 13 are ‘specifically prohibited from driving or riding on any agricultural machine’.