A man killed and several others injured in Roeburndale when their trailer plunged into a river after a bridge collapsed had been involved in a £900-a-head pheasant shoot.
According to the police, victims consisted mainly of ‘beaters’ who were assigned with cleaning out birds for their shot.
After yesterday’s shoot, eleven of the crew were riding on the trailer back to their farm.
A Polaris Ranger pulled the trailer. The bridge gave way beneath the trailer.
One farm worker said that some of the suspects were familiar to him.
Emergency services, including fire crews, at the scene of where a bridge has collapsed in Roeburndale, Lancashire
Cave & Mountain rescue units are also in attendance at the scene after a vehicle fell into the river
This fatal accident occurred near Roeburndale (Lancashire), just a few kilometers from the Yorkshire Dales border.
“There were eleven of them at the trailer’s back, and most had worked as beaters.
“As they crossed the bridge it had collapsed beneath them, and their trailer fell into the river about 10-15 feet.
“A friend of mine has suffered head injuries and is now in hospital. Others who were in the trailer also escaped from injury with lesser severity.
‘The shoot is £900-a-head and people come from all over the country.
“It is very sad. It’s not clear why the bridge fell.”
Officers in a police car with sirens blasting on the way to Roeburndale’s rural scene for the incident
A stock picture of a Polaris Ranger. When the trailer fell into river, it was being transported by the vehicle.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night. A man was killed and many others were severely injured by fire crews.
Following the incident around 4.25pm, there were a lot of emergency workers on-site
Police, emergency crews including ambulance, fire, and rescue personnel were on the scene.
Road closures have been in effect for some time and are expected to persist.
The incident has now been investigated and the Health and Safety Executive was informed.
According to Det. Insp Kirsty Wiatt of Lancashire Police: “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims in this very tragic incident.”
“Unfortunately, one man has died. Many others have been seriously injured.”
“At this point, we think the vehicle was pulling the caravan, which contained a few people when the bridge collapsed. The trailer and vehicle were then abandoned with the people in it.
“Our investigation is in its early stages, and inquiries are ongoing to determine what actually happened.”
Anybody with any information that could help the police department can dial 101, quoting log 0953 from January 18.