EXCLUSIVE Flowers are left at bridge where TV star Phil Spencer’s parents died in car crash on the family farm – as it’s revealed his mother was behind the wheel after being passed fit to drive
- Location, Location, Location star’s parents died when their car landed in river
Flowers have been left at the bridge where TV host Phil Spencer’s elderly parents died after a car crash on the family farm – as it’s revealed his mother was behind the wheel after being given clearance to drive.
The tributes were left at the spot where the Location, Location, Location star’s father David, 89, who was suffering from dementia and his mother Anne, 82, who had Parkinson’s died when their vehicle toppled over the bridge and landed upside down in the river.
Phil’s brother Robert, battled to save their parents by using a penknife to cut their seat belts and pull them from the river. They were unable to be revived.
Phil, 53, told of his devastation as he shared a picture of the couple and wrote: “As a family, we are all trying to hold onto the fact Mum and Dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. “Which is a blessing in itself.”
Phil also revealed details about the crash.
Location, Location, Location star Phil Spencer’s parents (pictured with mother) Richard and Anne were reportedly leaving their farm to travel to a local pub for lunch on Friday when their car drifted into a shallow river
The TV presenter’s parents Richard and Anne Spencer (pictured in 2014) were pulled from the vehicle after it fell into the water, having veered off an access road and toppled off a bridge
Tributes have been left at the spot where the Location, Location, Location star’s father David, 89, who was suffering from dementia and his mother Anne, 82, who had Parkinson’s died
A bouquet of bright, colourful flowers can be seen close to where the vehicle toppled over the bridge and landed upside down in the river
A bouquet of white roses – signifying eternal loyalty – were also left at the tragic scene by the river
Mourners left freshly cut on the banks of the river over the weekend, in the time since the couple died
Richard and Anne were reportedly leaving their farm to travel to a local pub for lunch on Friday when their car drifted into a shallow river, which is a tributary which flows through the family farm in Littlebourne, near Canterbury, Kent
Writing on Instagram, he said: “The car, going very slowly, toppled over a bridge on the farm drive, upside down into the river. There were no physical injuries and I very much doubt they would have even fought it – they would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away.
READ MORE: Location, Location, Location star Phil Spencer reveals his mother predicted that she and his father would ‘go together’ – just a week before couple who had been married for 60 years both died in car crash
‘Their carer was in the car and managed to climb out of a back window so the alarm was raised quite quickly.”
The couple were reportedly leaving their farm to travel to a local pub for lunch on Friday when their car drifted into a shallow river in Littlebourne, near Canterbury, Kent.
Mourners left freshly cut on the banks of the river over the weekend.
Anne is understood to have been behind the wheel after recently being passed fit to drive.
Her husband was in the front passenger seat and a live-in carer – an agency nurse – was in the back seat and managed to scramble out of the car via a window and summon help.
Phil revealed how his brother battled to save their parents.
In a heartbreaking Instagram post, Phil wrote: ‘As many farmers do – my brother had a penknife and so was able to cut the seat belts – he pulled them out of the river but they never regained consciousness.
Phil also tragically revealed how his parents ‘would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away’ after they were killed in a car crash on the family farm where he grew up
Phil Spencer posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram where he shared that his parents’ illnesses had been ‘worsening’
Phil has spoken in the past about his love of where he grew up and being the son of a farmer (Pictured: Littlebourne)
Phil’s (left) Location, Location, Location co-host Kirstie Allsopp (right) paid tribute to the parents of her close friend, and said it was a ‘great source of solace’ to him that they were together as they passed away
The charming Kent village of Littlebourne has just 1,500 residents and has long been home to the Spencer family
Phil lives in Hampshire with wife Fiona and their two children but has a holiday cottage on the family farm
‘Although desperately sad and shocked beyond all belief – all family are clear that if there can ever be such a thing as having a “good end” – this was it.’
The TV presenter added how he took comfort from knowing that they died together and wouldn’t have to mourn each other.
He said his parents ‘would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away’ after they were killed in the accident crash on the family farm where he grew up.
The road where the accident happened is also a bridle path and a popular spot for locals to walk their dogs.
In the Instagram post, Phil added: ‘Very sadly both of my amazing parents died on Friday.
‘As a family we are all trying to hold onto the fact Mum and Dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. Which is a blessing in itself.
‘Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch), Mum’s Parkinson’s and Dad’s Dementia had been worsening and the long term future was set to be a challenge.
‘So much so that Mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking “now it looks like we will probably go together”. And so they did.
‘That was what God had planned for them – and it was a good plan.’
The Spencer family have owned Garrington Farm for decades.
Phil’s bother Robert runs the farm which has both beef cattle and arable land near Howletts Wild Animal Farm.
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