November 30th 1962
Tractor accident ended fatally for Goytre foreman
A Monmouthshire County Council foreman who fell under the wheels of a tractor at Llanover and fractured his skull, died from shock following the accident.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned by a Pontypool inquest of Evan Richard Dobbs (59), of New Houses, Goytre, who died at Abergavenny Cottage Hospital on November 20th.
Christopher William Henry Griffiths, of Plough Road Goytre, a member of the road gang supervised by Dobbs, told the jury that a lorry was being used to tow the tractor, which was difficult to start.
Dobbs was walking between the two vehicles with his hand on the tailboard of the lorry. He seemed to be to close to the tractor and the men shouted warnings to him, said Griffiths. “He looked over his shoulder and appeared to slip underneath the tractor.”
The tractor driver, William John Williams, of Llanover, said he called to Dobbs to look out. Lying in the road after the accident Dobbs said: “Why did I want to bother with the things.”
Another roadman, Francis Arthur Howells, of Plough Road, Goytre, told the jury that Dobbs seemed to slip on some wet leaves as he was trying to jump towards the grass verge.
The deputy Monmouthshire coroner, Mr D J Treasure, said no one was to blame for the accident.
Dobbs, he said, probably slipped as he was turning sharply and was caught by the wheel of the tractor.