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Thomas Manns, who lived in Ledbury, was driving a Weston's van out of their site in Much Marcle, when the barrier speared through the windscreen, killing him instantly.

It happened on his 65th birthday Mr Manns, who was known as 'Tommy', had worked at Weston's for 14 years and was their farm manager, his wife and step-son still work there.

The company was prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive for failing to keep him safe and fined £1.4 million pounds.

In court, it emerged how the firm had failed to give the staff any training on how to use the barrier, and had left it sticking out at a 45-degree angle, making it difficult to see, despite the fact it was blocking traffic.

The judge described it as an "accident waiting to happen", describing the barrier as having the appearance of a "medieval javelin" he said the company's health and safety failures "beggared belief".