A groundsman at a Cornish beauty spot died in a horrific grass-cutting accident when a blade shot off a mower and into his heart, an inquest has heard. Nic Osborne, 60, was operating a remote-controlled lawnmower which moved around on caterpillar tracks when the tragedy happened.
Mr Osborne's death has been investigated by health and safety officials after it was suspected he was killed by a blade flying off and striking him. As part of his role, he was required to mow steep, rough and largely inaccessible grassland on the sprawling area around St Nectan’s Glen, an area of woodland along the banks of the River Trevillet near Tintagel.
The mower was an X ROT 80 manufactured by Italian company Barbieri, CornwallLive reports. It was designed to be used in any area, including those deemed too dangerous to mow by hand including next to motorways and railway lines, and housed several large blades connected by bolts and bespoke joints.
