Farmer died after night trapped under quad bike

A farmer died after being trapped for hours under his quad bike in sub-zero temperatures, an inquest has heard.

David Charles Knipe, 65, from Tebay, near Penrith, drove the vehicle into a wood on High Carlingill farm, which he owned, on 5 December 2024.

His inquest on Wednesday heard he was found the following morning trapped under the quad, still alive but drifting in and out of consciousness.

Assistant coroner Craig Smith concluded Knipe had died of hypothermia as a result of an accident.

Evidence from the post-mortem report showed Knipe was likely to have been lying there for about 16 hours.

He was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital but died shortly after following two cardiac arrests.

In a report, the pathologist said the hospital had suspected a fractured pelvis, but this was not visible during the post-mortem examination.

"It's unlikely to have contributed to the death... With the absence of internal injuries, it's highly likely he died of hypothermia," it said.

Speaking at the inquest, Knipe's wife Christine told the coroner a feature available in newer vehicles might have saved her husband.

"I believe now there's technology available whereby a third party is alerted if a quad bike topples - I think that's the part we found quite difficult," she said.

"I'd think that sort of technology may help others going forward - we're aware that farms are dangerous places."

She said the poultry farmer, who was born in Kendal, had lived in Levens and had attended Newton Rigg's agricultural college.

He worked as an animal nutritionist before buying his own farm.

He was a founding member of "award-winning farmers markets" in Cumbria, where he sold poultry and eggs, and had worked with supermarkets and councils to establish the markets in the county.

The hearing at Workington's Coroner's Court was told Knipe's wife had left for Manchester on the 5 December for a trip with their daughter Bethany.

She had been unable to make contact with her husband later that day but that was not unusual, the inquest heard.

However, when he failed to turn up to Milnthorpe's market the next day, the alarm was raised.

A neighbour sent to check on Knipe found him in Heart Wood, which is visible from the M6, trapped under the quad bike.

The coroner heard evidence from mechanical engineer Colin Dunn, who analysed the vehicle and studied the scene as part of a Health and Safety Executive investigation.

The public body is responsible for investigating deaths that happened at work.

Dunn said he found a number of defects with the quad bike, including a missing brake lever on the handlebar, but evidence showed Knipe regularly serviced the vehicle.

Dunn said he believed on the day in question, Knipe was riding across a steep slope towing a trailer over rough terrain when he became stuck.

He attempted to reverse, but a combination of the steepness of the slope, the difficulty of having a trailer in tow, the terrain and the low tyre pressure, which was below the manufacturer's recommendations, affected the quad's stability.

These factors caused the quad to topple and trap him at the waist, the inquest heard.

In his conclusion, Smith said: "[Knipe] was a very competent and experienced driver, he was very familiar with [the quad's] use in Heart Wood, there's nothing in the evidence to suggest this wasn't a momentary issue."

Knipe's wife said he loved teaching younger generations of farmers and sharing his knowledge.

"He was liked and loved by many, not just the farming community," she said.

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