A FARMER died when he was crushed by his quad bike which tipped over as he drove up a slope in a field while spraying weedkiller from the vehicle.

Paul Dakin was thrown from the Kawasaki 4x4, which then fell on top of him as it rolled over at his family's Panbeck Farm, Hellifield, on the afternoon of July 14 last year.

An inquest, held at the Rendezvous Hotel, Skipton, heard that Mr Dakin died of asphyxia due to injuries to his chest and spine caused by a crushing action.

A jury at the hearing was told that had the 62-year-old been wearing a seatbelt he might have survived.

Traffic Constable David Taylor told them and the North Yorkshire Coroner, Rob Turnbull, that Mr Dakin was not wearing a seatbelt or protective headgear.

"If he had been wearing a seatbelt it is possible he would have survived because he is unlikely to have been thrown out of the cab," he said.

"The 4x4 should also have been in four wheel drive - it was in two - and the differential mechanism activated.

"The all-terrain vehicle rolled on its offside down the embankment a number of times and came to rest with Mr Dakin under the cab."

TC Taylor said had Mr Dakin steered into the direction of the slide - that is to the right - the vehicle could have remained upright and been steered down the hill.

It appeared Mr Dakin accelerated and steered to the left, causing the 4x4 to fall onto the right side.

The jury heard that Mr Dakin, a single man, had left the farmhouse after his lunch with plans to carry out some weeding with a tank and spray appliance on the back of the quad.

His body was found by one of the farm's employees who informed other family and staff who, on the advice of the ambulance crew, used a JCB to lift the quad from Mr Dakin.

Following instructions from Mr Turnbull, the jury agreed a verdict that Mr Dakin died as a result of an accident.