Infection
Phil Spencer’s father died of lung infection after nearly drowning in car accident that killed wife
Oct
Phil Spencer’s father died of a lung condition called aspiration pneumonitis after nearly drowning in a car accident on the family farm, an inquest opening has heard.
The Location, Location, Location star’s father Richard, known to friends and family as David, 89, and mother Anne, 82, who were both farmers, died after their car careered into a river on Lower Garrington Farm in Littlebourne near Canterbury, Kent, in August.
An inquest into his death was opened at County Hall in Maidstone, Kent, on Monday.
Sarah Clarke, area coroner for North East Kent, told the court that Mr Spencer was in the passenger seat of a Toyota being driven by his wife Anne about 12.20pm on Aug 18. Their full-time carer Veronica Francis was in the rear passenger seat.
The inquest heard Anne had driven from their house towards a bridge on their land, which passed over the Nailbourne River.
As the vehicle approached the bridge, it slipped off the edge and overturned, submerging all three occupants in three feet of water.
Phil Spencer said that his mother Anne, who had Parkinson’s, was ‘resigned to thinking’ that she and her husband ‘will probably die together’
Ms Clarke told the court that paramedics arrived on the scene within half an hour. They took the couple to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother hospital in Margate, but Richard failed to regain consciousness and was pronounced dead.
Ms Clarke gave his cause of death as aspiration pneumonitis, an infection of the lungs, on the basis of near drowning.
The NHS website describes aspiration pneumonitis as a “type of pneumonia that’s caused by bacteria entering the lungs and causing a severe infection”.
A full inquest will be heard at Oakwood House in Maidstone on Dec 19, at 3.30pm.
Spencer, 53, paid tribute to his “amazing parents” in a post on Instagram on Aug 20, where he revealed the couple had been going out for lunch at the time of their accident.
The TV presenter said his parents ‘would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away’
Credit: Andrew Crowley
He also said that his mother had Parkinson’s and his father had been diagnosed with dementia.
The TV presenter wrote: “Very sadly both of my amazing parents died on Friday.
“As a family we are all trying to hold onto 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).
“Mum’s Parkinson’s and Dad’s 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.
“That was what God had planned for them – and it was a good plan.
“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.
“Although desperately sad and shocked beyond all belief – all families are clear that if there can ever be such a thing as having a “good end” – this was it.”
