S&A Produce today released a statement on the recent tragedy at its Herefordshire site, where two strawberry pickers were found to have committed suicide on the same day.

Polish males Wieslaw Przewoznik, 37, and Piotr Sokolowski, 48, were found at different locations and at different times within the company campsite at Brook Farm, Marden, on June 28.

They had both hanged themselves.

Rebecca Edmonds, community relations manager at S&A, said in a statement: “There were no suspicious circumstances and the cause of death has been confirmed by a Home Office pathologist as hanging.

“Following a thorough police investigation, both cases are being treated as suicides. The two cases are not related in any way, and the individuals were not known to each other…

“They had both been working for us as strawberry pickers, and came over from Poland in the early part of the summer’s picking season. The relatives of both employees have been informed, and the repatriation of the bodies is now being co-ordinated through the Coroner’s Office in Hereford.

“This is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the families of those concerned. The incident has deeply affected all of us, and especially fellow employees, a number of whom were close friends of the two Polish workers.”

S&A Produce has brought in professional councillors from the Polish community to assist at this particularly difficult time, in addition to the support that is provided by our welfare officers to seasonal workers on a permanent basis.

Edmonds continued: “Neither of the Polish workers had raised welfare concerns with our staff, who are continually dedicated to providing practical and emotional support for employees during their stay. It has come as a great shock to everybody here, since the welfare of our seasonal workers at S&A has always been, and remains, of the utmost importance.”

The inquests were formally opened on July 3 and have been adjourned for full hearings in due course.

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