A HEALTH and Safety investigation is under way after an accident at a Wimborne farm.

It is believed a man was seriously injured when he fell from a roof at Merley Hall Farm in Willett Road last Friday, February 22.

South Western Ambulance Service Trust have confirmed they attended an address in Willett Road that afternoon.

An ambulance spokesman said: "We sent various resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew and a critical care team.

"A male patient was transported by ambulance to hospital."

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told the Daily Echo: "HSE is aware of the incident and is making enquiries."

When the Echo approached Merley Hall Farm, yesterday, the farmer declined to comment, before calling the police claiming Echo reporters were refusing to leave his property.

Dorset Police confirmed they were called at 11.34am yesterday, from someone claiming there was a "possible breach of the peace" at Merley Hall Farm, asking officers "could you remove reporters taking pictures."

Shortly afterwards police were told reporters had left the scene so no officers were dispatched.

The Echo understands the injured man was working for Horton-based Cutler Plant Hire at the time of the incident.

No-one from that company has been available for comment.

There were a number of ambulances on the scene and the man was taken to Southampton General Hospital.

Meanwhile, the HSE was been targeting farms across the south west, throughout February, as part of an initiative aimed at combatting high rates of death and serious injury in the industry.

HSE inspectors are expected to have visited up to 100 farms in the region by March.

Agriculture represents just 1.2 per cent of the workforce in Great Britain but accounts for 20 per cent of reported work-related fatalities each year.

HSE has previously estimated the economic cost of workplace injury and ill health in agriculture to be £293m.