Ashdown Forest managing body fined £8,000 after woman hit by falling tree in Sussex suffers traumatic brain injury

The HSE said Caroline Leafe, 70, and her husband Kenneth were walking with their dog on a deer track in the forest on January 25, 2023, when the couple were hit by a silver birch tree.

The HSE said the 12-metre tree was being felled after the Conservators of Ashdown Forest identified that it was rotting.

Ashdown Forest have apologised ‘unreservedly’ to Mr and Mrs Leafe.

HSE principal inspector Emma Stiles said: “Members of the public should be able to enjoy a walk in a forest without fear of being struck by a tree being felled.”

The HSE said the tree was in the corner of Broadstone Car Park on Colemans Hatch Road, Upper Hartfield, and surrounded by public footpaths. The HSE said the tree started to fall after a forest ranger made a ‘sink cut’ with a chainsaw. They said the forest ranger then saw Mr and Mrs Leafe walking nearby and tried to warn them but it was too late.

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The HSE said Mr Leafe suffered cuts and bruises but Mrs Leafe suffered a traumatic brain injury, a fractured collar bone, fractured ribs and a dislocated shoulder. The HSE said she spent ‘considerable time’ in hospital, had to surrender her driving licence and is still undergoing physical and cognitive therapy.

In a statement issued by HSE, Mrs Leafe said: "I have suffered a loss of independence and Ken has had to do a lot more support to me.”

She said: “There were school children at the forest when we were there and we are relieved that our accident didn’t happen to them. Ken and I hope an incident like this never happens again.”

The HSE said their investigation found: “The Conservators of Ashdown Forest failed to identify the risk to members of the public from tree felling. This meant precautions, such as posting warning signs and using barriers and banksmen, were not implemented to prevent members of the public from accessing areas where the tree felling was taking place.”

The HSE said: “The Conservators of Ashdown Forest pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The trust was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £3,589.80 in costs at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 12 August 2024.”

HSE principal inspector Emma Stiles said: “The guidance is clear on how to fell trees safely and this means keeping members of the public out of an area around the tree measuring two times the height of the tree.”

The full Ashdown Forest statement on the findings of the HSE is as follows:

“We fully accept the findings of the HSE investigation into the events of 25 January 2023 when a member of the public was struck by a falling tree. We have implemented all their recommendations including and exceeding their advice on training for all staff and volunteers operating in safe working zones. We apologise unreservedly to Mr and Mrs Leafe and their friends and family who were impacted by this incident and continue to send our best wishes to Mrs Leafe as she continues her recovery.”