Emergency services descended on a quiet farm in Lancashire after reports a man, aged in his 80s, had fallen to his death, with firefighters forced to cut open a silo to reach him
Firefighters were forced to cut open a silo in a desperate rescue bid after an industrial accident during which a farmer tragically fell to his death.
Neighbours said emergency services rushed to Orrell Farm shortly before 5pm on Thursday, 21 May. Lancashire Police confirmed officers were called to the scene on Orrell Lane in Burscough, Lancashire at 4.37pm. Tragically, the man was found dead.
A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said fire crews attended alongside an urban search and rescue team, with a neighbour telling how crews were forced to cut open a silo on the farm in a desperate attempt to save the farmer, who has been identified locally as John.
Sadly, despite the best efforts of emergency services, the farm’s owner John, believed to be in his 80s, died at the scene.
His death is being treated as non-suspicious and the investigation has since been handed over to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had known John for several years, describing him and his wife, who lived on the farm, as people who “kept themselves to themselves”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
He added: “We saw all the emergency services arrive at the scene. The firefighters were doing work on the silo, I think they had to cut into it. It’s so sad, he was a nice man, and had not long farmed all the grain from the fields. Even at his age he was still out on the fields farming.”
One local resident told how they believe John’s family are still living nearby. John is believed to have owned land surrounding the farm and on Orrell Lane, with a neighbour revealing they witnessed a vehicle pull up at the farm at 3pm to collect the grain.
Photographs taken at the scene show substantial mounds of grain beside the silos located at the back of the farm, close to the Liverpool-Leeds Canal, which runs through the rural village on the borders of Merseyside and Lancashire. A hole is visible in one of the silos, with a number of individuals seen examining the area.
A fire service spokesperson said: “At 16:31 on Thursday 21 May 2026, three fire engines from Ormskirk, Skelmersdale and Tarleton, along with the Urban Search and Rescue Team from Chorley, attended an incident on Orrell Lane in Burscough involving the rescue of a person.
“Firefighters worked with paramedics but sadly, the person was pronounced deceased at the scene, and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time. Firefighters were in attendance for approximately four hours and 40 minutes.”
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “At 4:37pm on Thursday 21 May we were called to reports of an industrial accident at a farm on Orrell Lane, Burscough.vEmergency services attended and very sadly a man in his 80s was found deceased.
“Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time and they are being support by specially trained officers. His death is not being treated as suspicious. The Health Service Executive have been informed and a file will be passed to the coroner in due course.”
A Health and Safety spokesperson said: “We can confirm we are investigating.”
