An apprentice tree surgeon died after being crushed by a tree he was not qualified to fell, an inquest has heard. Jonty Parkinson, 18, from Cirencester, died on 6 September 2024 in woodland on a National Trust site near Faringdon, Oxfordshire.
Mr Parkinson, the nephew of Gary Lineker, died from crush injuries to his abdomen after a tree he partially felled with a chainsaw did not fall in the intended way. The jury inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court was told that Mr Parkinson and his colleague Joe Bristow had used an assisted felling technique for which neither were qualified.
The tree, which was 1m (3ft) in diameter, had its crown removed and was planned to be felled into the woodland. Jurors heard it was tied to a chipper to support its direction of fall, which was described as not usual practice.
Mr Bristow stated he was advised to use the technique by a senior manager at their employer, the Cotswold Group, despite neither having the necessary qualifications. He told jurors that after they performed a safety cut, the tree fell in the wrong direction, and he realised Mr Parkinson was underneath it.
A local resident reported hearing the tree fall and seeing Mr Parkinson pinned under it after Mr Bristow ran to their house for help. Mr Parkinson was pronounced dead at the scene.
An expert opinion from a joint investigation by Thames Valley Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) deemed operational practices insufficient. Police concluded their investigation without seeking criminal prosecutions, and the HSE is now leading inquiries.
The inquest heard that staff at the Cotswold Group have since undergone refresher training and additional courses in assisted felling.