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Police watchdog to supervise tunnel landslide deaths inquiry | Police watchdog to supervise tunnel landslide deaths inquiry |
(9 months later) | |
The police watchdog will supervise an investigation over the case of an elderly couple who lay dead in their car for up to 10 days following a landslide. | The police watchdog will supervise an investigation over the case of an elderly couple who lay dead in their car for up to 10 days following a landslide. |
Rosemary Snell, 67, and Michael Rolfe, 72, were killed on 7 July when their silver Skoda was crushed in a tunnel by hundreds of tonnes of mud and rubble. | Rosemary Snell, 67, and Michael Rolfe, 72, were killed on 7 July when their silver Skoda was crushed in a tunnel by hundreds of tonnes of mud and rubble. |
Dorset police referred their handling of the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, but the IPCC found there was no reason for it to investigate. | Dorset police referred their handling of the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, but the IPCC found there was no reason for it to investigate. |
But the watchdog has now said it will supervise an investigation by Avon and Somerset police into how that force handled the initial reports that Snell and Rolfe were missing. | But the watchdog has now said it will supervise an investigation by Avon and Somerset police into how that force handled the initial reports that Snell and Rolfe were missing. |
A spokesman said: "It will be carried out by Avon and Somerset professional standards department, and we will supervise that." | A spokesman said: "It will be carried out by Avon and Somerset professional standards department, and we will supervise that." |
The couple, both from Somerset, were making their way home following a romantic meal at the Bridge House Hotel when the landslide engulfed their car as they passed through Beaminster tunnel, in Dorset, on 7 July. | The couple, both from Somerset, were making their way home following a romantic meal at the Bridge House Hotel when the landslide engulfed their car as they passed through Beaminster tunnel, in Dorset, on 7 July. |
It was not until 16 July that Avon and Somerset Police requested a search of the tunnel after investigations linked the couple to the area. | It was not until 16 July that Avon and Somerset Police requested a search of the tunnel after investigations linked the couple to the area. |
The bodies of Snell, from Misterton, near Crewkerne, and Rolfe, from Fivehead, near Taunton, were recovered the next day. | The bodies of Snell, from Misterton, near Crewkerne, and Rolfe, from Fivehead, near Taunton, were recovered the next day. |
An inquest, which was opened and adjourned on Friday, heard rescue efforts could not have saved the couple who died almost instantaneously. | An inquest, which was opened and adjourned on Friday, heard rescue efforts could not have saved the couple who died almost instantaneously. |
West Dorset coroner's court heard the cause of death for Snell was chest compression due to being trapped in landslip, while Rolfe died following a fracture of the cervical spine as he was also trapped. | West Dorset coroner's court heard the cause of death for Snell was chest compression due to being trapped in landslip, while Rolfe died following a fracture of the cervical spine as he was also trapped. |
The coroner said the death of Snell would have been very rapid, while the death of Rolfe would have been instantaneous. | The coroner said the death of Snell would have been very rapid, while the death of Rolfe would have been instantaneous. |
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