A NEW safety training course has been introduced by the Government in an attempt to improve what it calls the "poor" record of farm accidents.

Last year 47 people were killed in farm-related accidents, and many more suffered serious injury or ill health. In the last five years 231 people have died, including nine children under the age of sixteen.

As a result, the Health and Safety Executive asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to design a course in farm safety in which agricultural workers could qualify for vocational qualifications. This course has now been approved, it was announced yesterday.

For more information, see www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/fatal.htm