Thomas Bomford: Nine-year-old boy dies after truck towing water tanker ‘slides’ down steep hill

A nine-year-old boy died after a four-wheel drive towing a water tanker “slipped” down a steep hill, an investigation has revealed.

Pontypridd Coroner’s Court heard the family were getting water for their calves in a field at Rhondda Cynon Taf when a white Mitsubishi L200 Warrior began to “slide” down a slope.

On September 6, 2021, Tomos Rhys Bunford died at the scene of the accident after receiving first aid.

His father Rhys Bunford, who was driving the car before the accident, directed his family to get out of the car as it headed down a “steep slope” five meters high.

Mr Bomford, who worked for a skip hire company, told the inquest that farming was “a hobby” and that he grew up on a farm and did not want his children to “lose anything”. [he] Grow up together.”

Mr Bomford, his wife Louise, their sons Thomas and Gethin and their young baby all got out of the car.

“I thought we were all going over the levee and into the valley,” he said.

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

‘Bounce out’

Louise Bunford told the inquest Tomos “jumped out and I pushed” [him] Just to get him out of the truck.”

“I just pushed him as far away from the truck as possible because I didn’t want him to get under the truck,” she added.

“I jumped out with the baby in my arms. That’s when [the water bowser] The tossing has already begun. “

Mrs Bamford said the truck hit her and she was “under the wheels”.

Mrs Bamford added it was a route the family would take “every week” and had no previous concerns.

A report from the Health and Safety Executive found that the vehicle was generally in “good structural condition” but noted that the “trailer brakes were in poor condition”.

Assistant coroner Gavin Knox agreed the provisional cause of death was “blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen”.

In his conclusion, he said Mr Bamford “lost control as he feared his family might fall down the steep slope at the bottom of the mountain”.

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He said the loss of control was caused by a number of factors, including “the steep slope of the field” and “mismatched and inappropriate tires”.

Mr Knox added: “Tomos was struck by the vehicle he was traveling in after the water tanker was broken off.”

The assistant coroner concluded Tomos’ death was accidental.