Tragedy: Ashley Dixon, 23, threw himself under
his tractor after his girlfriend ended their three-month relationship,
an inquest heard
A young father threw himself under his tractor after his girlfriend ended their three-month relationship, an inquest heard.
Ashley
Dixon, 23, was at work on a farm in Salford, when he texted his former
lover Fern Brooks to say: 'I have totally given up, there is no life for
me any more.'
A short time later, he threw himself under the tractor. His body was found by his manager.
Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
A
jury at Bolton Coroner’s Court heard Mr Dixon, from Salford, fell for
Ms Brooks when they started seeing each other last May, shortly after he
separated from the mother of his two-year-old daughter.
He
threatened to throw himself off a bridge when she first broke up with
him on June 11, but police helped him down. The couple rekindled their
relationship and Mr Dixon sought counselling.
Weeks
later he told his doctor he had ‘sorted his head out’. But on the
morning of his death, August 7, he called his foster mother to say the
relationship had ended.
Text
records revealed a stormy exchange between the pair, with Mr Dixon
twice threatening to take his own life. The last text was sent at 1.30pm
- an hour before he was found dead.
Forensics
expert PC Nicholas Avery ruled out that the death was an accident. Boss
Mark Upton told the hearing that Mr Dixon was not himself after his
break-up in June.
He said: 'We were very concerned
about him. He texted me on June 12 to say he had threatened to throw
himself off a bridge and I knew it was because of his relationship.
'He
fell head-over-heels for her but it was rocky. He was very, very
capable at his job, and the farm was his life, but after that day he
started to slip. He was never on time. We were very worried.'
He said Mr Dixon arrived at work
uncharacteristically early and appeared to be in good spirits on the
morning of his death, a week before his 24th birthday.
Death: Mr Dixon was at work on a farm near
Salford when he died. His body was found by his manager after he failed
to answer his mobile phone
They discussed
his work for the day, and at 7.30am he set off to flail the long grass
in a field near Salford. Mr Dixon was last seen by shopworkers on the
road at 10.30am. At 2.45pm, Mr Upton became worried that his worker, an
expert driver, had not finished mowing the 30-acre field.
He
said: 'I tried him on his mobile but it didn’t even ring, so I jumped
in the van and drove out there. I could just see the tractor was
stationary and nobody was in it but the ignition was on.
'I
leant in to turn the ignition off and saw Ashley at the back entangled
in the machinery. I panicked and called the emergency services. I didn’t
know what to do.'
Coroner Jennifer Leeming recorded a verdict that Mr Dixon took his own life.
Ms
Brooks, 23, said: 'Ashley was an amazing person inside and out. He was
loving, caring, fun and he had an infectious smile that lit up any room
he walked into. Ashley will always hold a special place in my heart. I
will love him always and forever.'
DAILYMAIL
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