Council charged over death of coach killed by 200-year-old tree

By Charlie Fenton and Catherine Musgrove

A council has been charged over the death of a “much-loved” soccer coach after he was crushed to death by a 200-year-old tree during a storm.

Paul Fiddler, 41, died after the tree fell onto his Citroen van on the A59 in Longton, Lancashire, in December 2024 during Storm Darragh.

The huge tree was on land belonging to South Ribble Borough Council (SRBC).

And it has since been charged by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over Fiddler’s death, saying they did not ensure he was not exposed to safety risks.

An HSE spokesperson said: “We can confirm that the Health & Safety Executive has taken the decision to prosecute South Ribble Borough Council in relation to the death of Paul Fiddler.

“Paul was killed when a tree fell on his vehicle as he drove along the A59 Longton Bypass in Hutton on Dec. 7, 2024.

“Our decision follows an investigation which was initially conducted jointly with Lancashire Police.

“We remind all those concerned that criminal proceedings are now active.

“Our thoughts remain with Paul’s family at this difficult time.”

Emergency workers scrambled to the scene on Dec. 7 at around 9 a.m. after receiving notification of the collapse.

Paul suffered “serious injuries” and despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was tragically pronounced dead at the scene, police said at the time.

Storm Darragh caused widespread chaos across the UK, causing power cuts, fallen trees, and travel disruption with its 96 mph winds.

The HSE has spent nearly two years investigating the circumstances of the incident in conjunction with the police.

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And last week revealed that South Ribble Borough Council has been charged under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

According to legislation.gov.uk, section 3(1) states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.”

The court date for the first hearing has yet to be set, the body said.

A spokesman for the council said: “The death of Mr. Fiddler was a tragedy and one in which we express our deepest sympathy and regret.

“Our thoughts continue to go out to his loved ones.

“Throughout the investigation proceedings we have been fully cooperative with the HSE and we will continue to be now that the outcome had been confirmed.”

Paul was traveling from Burscough to Freckleton as he did every day, for work in the family electrical repair business, Hughes & Fiddler, now called Fred Hughes TV.

He had only been married since February 2024 to his wife Jayne, who was previously described as “the absolute love of his life.”

He was also a proud stepdad to Emily, he also adored his nieces and nephew.

Following Fiddler’s death, Lytham Town FC, where he was a coach, paid tribute to him on social media, describing him as a “legend” and a “true friend”.

The club said: “A well-loved coach, soccer player, manager but most of all a true friend.”

More than 1,000 people attended his funeral.

Preston North End paid tribute to the dad in the 41st minute during a game days after his death.

A second man, Kahir Shahin Hussain, 55, was also killed during the storm.