- Richard and Anne Spencer died after their automobile plunged right into a river on August 18
The mother and father of TV presenter Phil Spencer died on account of an accident on their household farm after their automobile overturned in a river, a coroner has concluded.
Richard Spencer, 89, often known as David, and Anne Spencer, 82, had been chatting as they drove for lunch when their automobile tipped over the sting of a bridge and plunged right into a river in Littlebourne, Kent, on August 18.
The couple, who had been farmers, had been submerged in round three toes of water and had been pronounced useless at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
At Oakwood House in Maidstone, coroner Sarah Clarke mentioned: ‘These circumstances are a number of the most tragic I’ve ever heard.’
She mentioned the couple had been ‘chatting when the automobile veered very barely to the offside’ and the car overturned within the Nailbourne river.
Location, Location, Location star Phil Spencer’s mother and father (pictured with mom) Richard and Anne had been reportedly leaving their farm to journey to a pub once they crashed right into a river
Phil tragically revealed how his mother and father ‘would have held fingers beneath the water’ within the crash
Richard, who was affected by dementia, and Anne, who had Parkinson’s, pictured in 2014
Ms Clarke had beforehand mentioned paramedics arrived at round 12.57pm and took Mr Spencer and Mrs Spencer to the QEQM.
She mentioned Mr Spencer died from a lung harm known as aspiration pneumonitis because of close to drowning. Mrs Spencer died from aspiration pneumonia, a hypoxic-ischaemic mind harm, and close to drowning.
Hypoxic-ischemic mind harm is brought on by an absence of oxygen to the mind, whereas aspiration pneumonia is an an infection of the lungs brought on by inhaling meals or liquid.
Phil’s father David was additionally affected by dementia on the time of his demise whereas his mom Anne had Parkinson’s illness.
His brother Robert battled to avoid wasting their mother and father through the use of a penknife to chop their seat belts and pull them from the river. They had been unable to be revived.
The 54-year-old presenter instructed of his devastation again in August as he shared an image of the couple to his social media and wrote: ‘As a household, we’re all making an attempt to carry onto the actual fact Mum and Dad went collectively and that neither will ever should mourn the lack of the opposite one. Which is a blessing in itself.
‘Although they had been each on extraordinarily good type within the days earlier than (therefore the sudden thought to exit to lunch), Mum’s Parkinson’s and Dad’s Dementia had been worsening and the long run future was set to be a problem.
Tributes had been left on the spot the place the Location, Location, Location star’s mother and father died
Richard and Anne had been reportedly leaving their farm to journey to an area pub for lunch on Friday when their automobile drifted right into a shallow river
Phil’s (left) Location, Location, Location co-host Kirstie Allsopp (proper) paid tribute to the mother and father of her shut buddy
‘So a lot in order that Mum mentioned to me solely per week in the past that she had resigned to considering ‘now it seems like we’ll in all probability go collectively’. And so that they did.
‘That was what God had deliberate for them – and it was plan.’
He additionally revealed particulars concerning the crash. Writing on Instagram, he mentioned: ‘The automobile, going very slowly, toppled over a bridge on the farm drive, the wrong way up into the river. There had been no bodily accidents and I very a lot doubt they might have even fought it – they might have held fingers beneath the water and quietly slipped away.
‘Their carer was within the automobile and managed to climb out of a again window so the alarm was raised fairly shortly.’
Anne is known to have been behind the wheel after lately being handed match to drive.
Her husband was within the entrance passenger seat and a live-in carer – an company nurse – was within the again seat and managed to scramble out of the automobile by way of a window and summon assist.
Phil Spencer posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram the place he shared that his mother and father’ sicknesses had been ‘worsening’
The charming Kent village of Littlebourne has simply 1,500 residents and has lengthy been dwelling to the Spencer household
Phil has spoken previously about his love of the place he grew up and being the son of a farmer (Pictured: Littlebourne)
Phil revealed how his brother battled to avoid wasting their mother and father.
In a heartbreaking Instagram publish, Phil wrote: ‘As many farmers do – my brother had a penknife and so was in a position to lower the seat belts – he pulled them out of the river however they by no means regained consciousness.
‘Although desperately unhappy and shocked past all perception – all household are clear that if there can ever be such a factor as having a ‘good finish’ – this was it.’
The street the place the accident occurred can be a bridle path and a well-liked spot for locals to stroll their canine.
The Spencer household have owned Garrington Farm for many years.
Phil’s trouble Robert runs the farm which has each beef cattle and arable land close to Howletts Wild Animal Farm.