A management body responsible for overseeing a significant forest in East Sussex has been fined after a couple was struck by a falling tree, resulting in the wife sustaining a severe brain injury.
On January 25, 2023, 70-year-old Caroline Leafe was walking along a deer trail in Ashdown Forest with her husband, Kenneth, and their dog, Monty, when they were hit by a silver birch tree that was being felled. The Conservators of Ashdown Forest, the organisation managing the forest, had identified that the 12-meter tree was decaying and needed to be removed.
The tree was situated near Broadstone Car Park on Colemans Hatch Road in Upper Hartfield, East Sussex, an area surrounded by public footpaths, including a main route leading to the visitor centre.
The incident occurred after a forest ranger used a chainsaw to make a sink cut in the tree. As the tree began to fall, the ranger noticed Mr & Mrs Leafe walking on the nearby deer track and tried to warn them, but it was too late.
Caroline Leafe sustained a traumatic brain injury, a fractured collarbone, several broken ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. She spent an extended period in the hospital and continues to receive physical and cognitive therapy. Additionally, she had to relinquish her driving license due to her injuries.
In a statement, Mrs. Leafe shared, “I have lost my independence, and Ken has had to provide much more support for me. I haven’t been able to drive for nearly a year. The head injuries caused speech and emotional difficulties. There were schoolchildren in the forest when the incident occurred, and we are relieved that it didn’t happen to them. Ken and I hope such an incident never happens again.”
Mr. Leafe suffered cuts and bruises in the incident.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that The Conservators of Ashdown Forest failed to properly assess the risk posed to the public during the tree felling. As a result, essential precautions, such as posting warning signs and using barriers or lookouts, were not taken to prevent people from entering the area where the tree was being felled.
The Conservators of Ashdown Forest admitted to violating Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. On August 12, 2024, the trust was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £3,589.80 in costs by Brighton Magistrates’ Court.
HSE principal inspector Emma Stiles emphasised, “The public should be able to enjoy a walk in a forest without the risk of being hit by a falling tree. There are clear guidelines on how to safely fell trees, which include keeping people out of an area around the tree that is twice its height. This can be achieved through measures like signs, barriers, and lookouts. Given the high level of public access in this area, all these precautions should have been in place.”
This prosecution was handled by HSE senior enforcement lawyer Nathan Cook, with support from HSE paralegal officer Imogen Isaac.
