Two men who died during a private shoot on farmland near Soham were crushed by hay bales, a coroner has said. 

Brian Abbs, 71, and Lee Abbs, 42, understood to be father and son, were participating in the event at Hainey Farm on March 2.  

Simon Milburn, one of the area coroners for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, opened both their inquests today (Thursday).  

During the hearing for Lee Abbs, Mr Milburn said: “Mr Abbs was a number of people who were attending a shoot on farmland.  

“A call was made to the East of England Ambulance Service at 13:50hrs on that date by a male... 

“... Mr Abbs had been involved in an incident where it appeared he had been crushed by falling hay bales. 

“Ambulance attended the scene by sadly Mr Abbs’ death was confirmed at 14:20hrs by a paramedic.” 

Mr Milburn also explained Brian Abbs died in similar circumstances.  

In both cases, the coroner said CT post mortem reports have given a provisional cause of death as “crush asphyxia".  

The brief hearings to open the inquests was held at Peterborough Town Hall today (Thursday). 

Both cases have now been adjourned for a date to be fixed in due course.