Grandmother Launches Legal Action Against Jeremy Clarkson Following Pub Car Park Accident
Elizabeth Purley, a 68-year-old grandmother from Scunthorpe, is pursuing a lawsuit against television personality Jeremy Clarkson after a severe fall in the car park of his Cotswolds pub, The Farmer's Dog, left her requiring surgical intervention. The incident occurred during a visit to the site of Clarkson's Farm in November last year, transforming what was intended as a leisure trip into a distressing ordeal.
Nightmare Visit to Celebrity Farm Attraction
Ms Purley, accompanied by her husband Darren, embarked on a three-and-a-half-hour journey to experience the location featured in Clarkson's popular Amazon series. "It was supposed to be great fun," remarked the NHS worker. "I really wanted to visit as I enjoyed watching his show. But it was memorable for all the wrong reasons."
Heavy rainfall had turned the field-based car park in Asthall, Gloucestershire, into a treacherous mud bath. Temporary aluminium sheets covered hidden, waterlogged areas, creating hazardous conditions. Ms Purley described the setup as "very dangerous and an accident waiting to happen," noting that the sheets were not securely fixed and would shift when vehicles drove over them.
Traumatic Fall and Immediate Aftermath
The accident unfolded as Ms Purley returned to her vehicle carrying two boxes of eggs purchased from the adjacent Diddly Squat farm shop. "I caught my foot on one of the upturned sheets and my feet went from under me," she recounted. "I instinctively threw my hand out to save myself and badly banged my knee. I fell flat, landing on the bag carrying the eggs."
The fall resulted in a deep, jagged laceration to her hand, initially obscured by mud. After reporting the incident to staff, her husband, a former ambulance worker, rushed her to Witney Community Hospital for assessment. X-rays revealed broken ribs from the impact, contributing to her difficulty breathing.
Surgical Intervention and Ongoing Recovery
Following initial treatment, Ms Purley was referred to Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, where plastic surgeons performed a lengthy procedure to reconstruct the wound. Medical professionals removed embedded metal fragments from the car park covering and closed the gash with ten stitches. "The scar on my hand and my painful ribs are a permanent reminder of my pub trip," she stated.
Despite returning to the establishment to complete an accident report and receiving a complimentary meal, Ms Purley observed no safety improvements during a subsequent visit. "Nothing had changed," she noted. "I at least expected to see a sign saying 'caution, uneven surface.' It was as if nothing had happened."
Legal Proceedings and Safety Concerns
After receiving no response to a letter addressed to Clarkson highlighting the car park dangers, Ms Purley engaged Express Solicitors to initiate a compensation claim. Accident specialist Jack Klein commented, "Elizabeth suffered a horrific injury on what should have been a fun day out. Celebrities are not above the law; they need to ensure their premises are safe and fit for purpose."
While West Oxfordshire District Council approved planning permission last month for a permanent hard surface installation, work cannot commence until a detailed surface water drainage scheme is submitted and approved in the coming months. Until then, customers continue to navigate the temporary metal coverings that Ms Purley asserts pose an ongoing hazard. "It needs fixing now, not later, as more people could be seriously injured in the meantime," she emphasized.
The grandmother, who describes herself as fit and healthy, expressed concern for more vulnerable visitors. "Anyone frail could have been more seriously injured. At the minute, that car park is a danger to visitors and needs fixing urgently."
