Margaret Owen, whose husband Islwyn died in 2024 after falling into a slurry pit on their farm near Bala, north Wales, has spoken out about the pressures facing farmers following a rise in workplace deaths. She said news of a father and son dying in similar circumstances in Chester last week had brought her own loss back to the fore, and that Islwyn had been under stress from bad weather and new Welsh government rules restricting when slurry could be spread, though this was not found to be the cause of his death.

An inquest ruled Islwyn's death accidental after he fell into the slurry pit while adjusting machinery, suffering asphyxia and serious injuries; he was found by a neighbour 90 minutes later. Health and Safety Executive figures show 22 farm workers died across Britain in 2025-26, the highest toll in a decade and second only to deaths in construction, with the farming fatality rate seven times the average across all industries. Margaret described the difficult period since Islwyn's death, including selling their livestock and renting out land, but said things had gradually become easier as she focused on positive memories.