A FARMER has been killed in a “tragic accident”, police have confirmed.

The 51-year-old has yet to be identified but Durham Police said he was killed while baling straw on a farm in Staindrop, County Durham, on Sunday. The incident happened at about 1.30pm.

Emergency services including the police, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, North East Ambulance Service and Great North Air Ambulance Service attended.

Durham Constabulary’s duty inspector, Simon Gdaniec, confirmed that the man had lost his life despite their best efforts to save him.

He said: “There’s been an occupational-cum-industrial accident on the farm and one chap has sadly lost his life. There is nothing suspicious from a policing point of view but we have notified the Health and Safety Executive from a commercial workplace point of view.

“As far as the police are concerned it’s a tragic, tragic accident.”

Insp Gdaniec confirmed the worker was the only person involved in the incident and his family have been notified.

A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the organisation was aware of the incident, was working with the police to try to find out what happened and has visited the scene.