A FATHER-of-two was crushed to death by a tree in a felling accident.

Experienced tree surgeon Dennis Etheridge, 37, from Dipton, near Stanley, County Durham, died when he was hit by the tree in woodland.

He had been working on a tree thinning operation for nearby Partridge Nest Farm, in Tynedale, Northumberland, on Monday afternoon.

An investigation has been launched by police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident at Beltingham, near Bardon Mill.

Mr Etheridge's family of Fairhills Avenue were last night coming to terms with his loss.

Farmer Tony Sowerby, who runs Partridge Nest Farm, said: "It is a terrible and tragic accident. It has shocked everybody.

"The HSE arrived today and have been over in the wood carrying out their investigation.

"Tree thinning was being carried out on Monday when the accident happened."

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "We received a call to Broad Wood just after 1.30pm on Monday.

"It concerned a tree having fallen on to a 37-year-old man. His death was confirmed at the scene by paramedics. The body was taken to Hexham General Hospital."

Mr Etheridge is believed to have been an experienced tree surgeon and worked for the UPM Tilhill company, the UK's largest timber harvesting company.

The coroner has been informed and the results of the Health and Safety Executive investigation will be reported to him.

UPM Tilhill's safety manager and timber operations manager were at the site yesterday. The firm said Mr Etheridge, who had a wife and two children, had completed all training and passed all exams since the 1990s in relevant disciplines.

A spokeswoman for the firm said: "UPM Tilhill wishes to extend its sympathy to the family of the contractor who died."

Established more than 50 years ago, UPM Tilhill is a national company operating from a network of offices across the country. It has a turnover of £80m.

"The latest news we have following this tragic incident is that the Health and Safety Executive and police were on site yesterday carrying out their investigations. UPM will be carrying out its own internal investigation into what happened,'' the spokesman said