A nine-year-old boy was struck and killed after he jumped from an out-of-control car after his family feared it would happen, an inquest heard.

Tomos Rhys Bunford died from chest and abdominal injuries in an incident on farmland near Blaenllechau, Rhondda, South Wales on 6 September 2021.

South Wales Central Coroner’s Court heard the young boy was sitting in the back of his family’s lorry when it lost control and his father Rhys Bunford called on the family to jump out of the vehicle fearing it might Fall into an abandoned quarry.

As they jumped, Tomos’ mother Louise Bomford tried to push her son away from the car, which was towing a heavy water tanker on a trailer.

Tomos was struck when the Mitsubishi Warrior and attached trailer broke off the slope.

Traces showed the vehicle slid about 86 meters down the slope.

At an inquest on Tuesday, the coroner’s court heard the incident occurred while the family were watering cows that lived on the property.

His father talked about how his son enjoyed helping out on his family farm, often telling classmates how to feed the animals and walking around the yard with a calf.

Mr Bomford told the coroner the trip was something the family had done many times before, with brother Gethin, mum Louise and baby Clemmie also in the truck.

He emotionally told assistant coroner Gavin Knox that as the vehicle began to lose control he feared it would fall down a “steep slope” into an abandoned quarry at the bottom of the slope.

Mr Bomford said: “We all left and went over just like we had the week before.

“We didn’t do anything different to other days, we followed the same route down the slopes.

“When we go downstairs, my son Gethin is sitting in the passenger seat, behind me is our little baby, my wife Louise will be sitting in the middle and Tomos will be sitting on the left.

“About halfway up the slope it started to slip. There was a quarry (at the bottom of the slope) and it was a steep slope.

“I think it’s safer to get out of the car than wait and see what happens down there.”

He said when the vehicle started to accelerate, the front end of the vehicle folded, forcing the vehicle to rotate about 180 degrees.

Mr Bomford said he was initially concerned for his child Clemmie as she was unable to escape the path of the vehicle.

During the incident, his wife was struck and had to be pulled from under the truck.

Mrs Bomford added that after she pushed her young son out of the car she initially thought he was safe, but when she looked back she realized he was injured.

Emergency services attended the scene and attempted to resuscitate Tomos.

Coroner Mr Knox read out statements from expert witnesses who set out the factors that may have contributed to the incident.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the brakes on the trailer were defective, meaning its towing capacity was reduced to 750kg. Its payload is 2,240 kg.

Investigators also found that the Mitsubishi’s tires were mismatched and not suitable for off-road use, and that the water tanker was only three-quarters full, and the movement of water could increase steering problems.

Mr Knox recorded a finding of accidental death from blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen.