The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
The procession at this weekend’s inaugural Tulipmania Festival will be dedicated to an unsung hero of Spalding Flower Parade who was killed in a farm accident last week.
Robin Chappell, who gave more than 30 years’ service to the parade, died when he became trapped in machinery at the family farm in Cowbit Road, Spalding.
He had been working with son David, loading potatoes, when the accident happened last Wednesday lunchtime. Emergency services released Robin (71, pictured) but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Chappell family is large and well-known in the Spalding and West Pinchbeck farming community. Robin’s mother Mary and brother David live on the farm, and he also leaves behind son David and his wife Julie, daughter Amanda and her partner Jason Gresswell, youngest daughter Louise, and three grandchildren.
Julie told The Voice: “He lived to work and he loved his work.”
A family tribute said: “Dad was a devoted family man and his zest for life was inspiring.
Robin was originally a major provider of tulip heads but latterly was a vital part of the operations team.
Just before his death he had arranged for this year’s tulip heads, which had come into flower early, to be boxed and stored ready for float heading for this weekend’s event at Springfields.
Robin attended the Canadian Tulip Festival and World Tulip Summit in Ottawa in 2002 as part of the delegation representing Spalding and the Parade, and he recently featured on BBC One’s Spring Supermarket Secrets, with Gregg Wallace.
Meanwhile, investigations continue into the tragic accident last week.
Lincolnshire Police said: “Detectives from Spalding CID will be working alongside staff from the Health and Safety Executive to establish the full circumstances of the incident and to prepare a report for the coroner.”
A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said: “We are aware of the incident and are working in partnership with Lincolnshire Police, who currently have primacy.”
