Farmer crushed by hay bales

A farmer has died in north Devon after she was crushed under bales of hay for five hours.

The woman, who has not yet been named, died in hospital after surgery on internal injuries and a broken pelvis.

She was trapped on Wednesday by four bales of hay, each weighing 1,100lb (500 kilogrammes), in a barn at the farm in the Monkleigh area of north Devon.

The farmer was pinned under the bales for about five hours before her shouts were heard by neighbours, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

She was released at 2220 GMT on Wednesday by an emergency crew from Devon Fire and Rescue Service and taken to North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple where she underwent surgery.

She was transferred to the intensive treatment unit, but died at 1100 GMT on Thursday, police said.