A FARMER died after a bull knocked him to the ground in front of his shocked son and daughter.

Popular farmer and former parish councillor Joseph Piggott was releasing the 600-kilo Friesian bull into a pen at The Manor Farm in Shocklach on Wednesday when the accident happened.

He was thrown to the ground and received severe head injuries.

His son and daughter Adrian and Andrea who were working alongside him got the bull away from their 77-year-old father and called an ambulance.

Paramedics who came on the scene called for an air ambulance to take Joseph Piggott to North Staffordshire hospital at just before 11am.

Doctors were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead at 3pm.

Yesterday his son Mark, a Shocklach parish councillor, said the family were in a 'total state of shock' and paid tribute to his father.

Speaking at the family's milk and beef farm near Malpas, Mark Piggott said: 'He was always careful. He's drummed it into us how we had to be careful with bulls.

'As he was releasing the bull, we don't know what happened, it just knocked him over. He landed awkwardly. It didn't gore him. We have had the bull 7-8 years and he never did anything like this before. He hasn't got any horns.'

Family members called Mark Piggott, 38, at his work in Wrexham and told him about the accident. He rushed home and saw his unconscious father just before the helicopter lifted off.

Mark Piggott then drove his mother Oriel to the hospital to see his father. He said: 'He had severe trauma to the head and there was nothing they could do. My brother and both my sisters came to the hospital. They kept him on the ventilator until all the family had seen him.'

Joseph Piggott was a parish councillor for 10-15 years. He retired from the Shocklach and District Parish Council three years ago and his son Mark took his place.

He had lived in Shocklach all his life. His father had farmed at Shocklach Hall and he moved to the other end of the village when he married Oriel.

Mark Piggott said: 'He came here when they married 48 years ago and he farmed here ever since. Farmers don't retire they just grow older. They carry on pottering around the farm like my father did. He enjoyed countryside sports but apart from that he didn't have any hobbies. He just lived for the farm and family. I couldn't have wished for a better father.

'He was a popular man in the village without a doubt, a well-loved character, great sense of humour and he will be sorely missed.'

Mrs Piggott was said to be 'completely devastated'. The couple had two sons and two daughters, and a 13-year-old granddaughter, Rebecca.

The Health and Safety Executive has started an investigation into the work-related death.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said an inspector visited the farm on Wednesday afternoon. He added: 'It could take a few weeks or months to evaluate depending on the circumstances.'

Yesterday police said detectives from Chester CID were visiting the farm as part of their inquiries supporting the investigation.