19 December 2023 , 16:50
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The full inquest into the tragic death of Location Location Location star Phil Spencer's parents has revealed their passing was a "most tragic" accident, a coroner has ruled.
Richard Spencer, 89, and Anne Spencer, 82, were killed in August after their Toyota plunged into a river close to their Kent home. An inquest opening in Maidstone last month revealed the pair had been submerged in water for up to 20 minutes in the aftermath of the crash.
Despite emergency services spending 90 minutes at the scene trying to revive the couple, they were later pronounced dead with coroner Sarah Clarke confirming Anne, who was driving died from a lung infection and a loss of oxygen to the brain, whilst her spouse passed away as a result of a lung injury.
Anne and Richard Spencer were tragically killed in August (INSTAGRAM)Their full-time carer, meanwhile, who was in the back of the vehicle at the time of the incident, managed to escape through a window and survived. Today, Clarke read a statement from Detective Sergeant Chris Wade of the Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, who led the investigation into the couple’s deaths.
He said Anne was driving a car, which she had owned since 2022, down a narrow, single-track road from the family home towards a bridge on their land, which passed over the Nail Bourne River, around 12.20pm on August 18. The private road offered vehicular access for those living on the farm and was not used by the public.
TV star Phil Spencer’s parents killed in car crash on family farm
DS Wade said the road surface approaching the bridge was “uneven in places”, adding: “The road rises up onto a concrete-brick constructed bridge which allows traffic to cross the Nail Bourne river.” He continued: “The bridge is extremely narrow and produces an S-bend. The slight incline onto the bridge severely restricts view of the near-side and off-side edges of the road.”
DS Wade said Richard was in the front passenger seat of the car, and the couple’s full-time, live-in carer Veronica Francis - who had been hired to help with their medication and meals - was in the back of the vehicle, sitting behind Richard. The inquest heard they were leaving their farm to go out for lunch. Richard and Anne were chatting as they approached the bridge.
DS Wade said Anne appeared to veer slightly offside, causing the offside tyre to slip off the bridge. The car struck the bottom of the river and caused the car to overturn, submerging all three occupants in around three feet of water.
82-year old Anne was driving when their vehicle crashed close to their Kent home (@PhilSpencerTV/twitter)Ms Clarke also read a statement from the couple’s carer Veronica, in which she said she located her mobile to call Robert - who runs the farm and lives in another property on the land - for help, but was unable to get signal. She was eventually able to get out of the car and went to find him. DS Wade continued: “Robert managed to extract his parents through the respective doors but both were unconscious. CPR continued until the arrival of the paramedics.”
DS Wade said the couple had lived and worked on the farm for their entire lives and that Anne was “very familiar with the roads in and out of the farm.” He concluded the accident was likely caused by “a lapse in concentration” by Anne. He said: “This is a most tragic incident which appears to have occurred due to potentially a momentary lapse of concentration on behalf of Mrs Spencer. The bridge requires a great deal of care to negotiate as it’s extremely narrow with limited visibility.
“Despite Mrs Spencer being familiar with these roads, she appears to have momentarily steered to the offside with tragic consequences. There is no evidence of third party involvement, vehicle defects or external circumstances leading to this.”
Mrs Clarke reached a conclusion of accidental death. She told the inquest: “These circumstances are some of the most tragic I have ever heard. I am so saddened for the family. The only conclusion that can be reached is that both Mr and Mrs Spencer died as the result of an accident. It only remains for me to pass on my condolences to the family.”
TV star Phil did not attend the inquest, but one of his sisters was present. The presenter, who fronts his Channel 4 show with co-presenter Kirstie Allsopp, said his parents "would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away" as he took to Instagram shortly after their passing.
The 53-year old added at the time: "Very sadly both of my amazing parents died on Friday. As a family we are all trying to hold on to the fact Mum and Dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. Which is a blessing in itself.
"Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch), Mums Parkinson’s and Dads Dementia had been worsening and the long term future was set to be a challenge. So much so that Mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking ‘now it looks like we will probably go together’. And so they did."
Kirstie Allsopp speaks out after co-star Phil Spencer's parents killed in crash
Describing the moments before the accident, he wrote: "The car, going very slowly, toppled over a bridge on the farm drive, upside down into the river. There were no physical injuries and I very much doubt they would have even fought it – they would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away.
"Their carer was in the car and managed to climb out of a back window so the alarm was raised quite quickly. As many farmers do, my brother had a penknife and so was able to cut the seat belts. He pulled them out of the river but they never regained consciousness."
Phil went on to reveal his family were "desperately sad and shocked beyond all belief", but took comfort in the knowledge that his parents being together meant "if there can ever be such a thing as having a 'good end' – this was it".
"It feels horrendous right now, but after almost 60 years of marriage, to die together on the farm they so loved will, I know, be a comfort in the future," he continued. "Mum and Dad are together, which is precisely where they would have wanted to be."
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