Grandmother Sues After Alleged Fall at Jeremy Clarkson’s Farmer’s Dog Pub Car Park

A 68-year-old grandmother has launched legal action after alleging she suffered serious injuries in a fall at the car park of Jeremy Clarkson’s Oxfordshire pub, The Farmer’s Dog.

Elizabeth Palmby, from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, claims she broke ribs and required hand surgery after tripping over temporary metal coverings laid across the muddy surface of the car park. She says fragments of metal became embedded in her hand during the fall and were later removed in hospital.

Mrs Palmby, who describes herself as a fan of the Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm, had travelled more than three hours with her husband Darren last November to visit both the Diddly Squat Farm Shop and The Farmer’s Dog, the pub opened by former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson near his Cotswolds farm.

“Memorable for All the Wrong Reasons”

Speaking about the visit, Mrs Palmby said the trip had been intended as a “great fun” outing inspired by her enjoyment of the television programme. Instead, she says, it resulted in what she describes as lasting physical and emotional consequences.

According to her account, heavy rain the previous evening had left the car park muddy. Temporary aluminium sheets had been placed on the ground, which she alleges were not secured and would shift or lift as vehicles passed over them.

“It was very muddy as it had rained the night before,” she said. “Cars were continuous, and every time they went over these aluminium sheets they would move and rise up as they weren’t fixed down and it was muddy underneath.”

Mrs Palmby said she had purchased two boxes of eggs from the on-site farm shop and was carrying them back to the car after having a soft drink in the pub when the incident occurred.

“It happened in slow motion,” she said. “I caught my foot on one of the upturned sheets and my feet went from under me. I instinctively threw my hand out to save myself and badly banged my knee.”

She fell forward, landing on the bag containing the eggs, which were smashed in the impact. She recalls experiencing severe pain and difficulty breathing immediately afterwards.

Surgery and Broken Ribs

Mrs Palmby said she did not initially realise the extent of the injury to her hand because it was covered in mud. It was only on the way to hospital that she noticed blood when she touched a car door handle.

“When they cleaned it up, I saw a gaping open and jagged wound,” she said. “It was horrible and very painful.”

She alleges that the temporary car park covers were “razor sharp” and caused the deep cut. Medical staff initially applied adhesive wound-closure strips rather than stitches, she said, due to concerns that the wound might reopen.

After returning home, Mrs Palmby was contacted by a consultant at Witney Hospital who, she says, advised further examination after reviewing her X-rays. She subsequently attended Scunthorpe General Hospital, where metal fragments were reportedly identified and removed from her hand.

A chest X-ray later revealed broken ribs. She was referred to Castle Hill Hospital near Hull for plastic surgery to reconstruct the hand wound. Doctors are said to have used ten stitches to close the deep cut.

“The scar on my hand and my painful ribs are a permanent reminder of my pub trip,” she said.

Concerns Over Ongoing Safety

Mrs Palmby states that she returned to the pub at a later date to see whether improvements had been made to the car park surface. She claims she was concerned to find the temporary coverings still in place.

“I at least expected to see a sign saying ‘caution, uneven surface,’” she said. “There appeared to be little or no maintenance of the sheets. They weren’t screwed in or fixed in place.”

She added that witnessing another visitor nearly fall reinforced her decision to pursue legal action. “I couldn’t forgive myself if an elderly person or child was seriously injured and I could have stopped it,” she said.

Planning permission for a permanent hard surface at the car park was approved by West Oxfordshire District Council last month. However, works cannot begin until a detailed surface water drainage scheme is submitted and approved.

Mrs Palmby argues that the situation requires more immediate attention. “It needs fixing now, not later, as more people could be seriously injured in the meantime,” she said.

Legal Action Under Way

Her compensation claim is being handled by accident specialist Jack Klein of Express Solicitors. In a statement, he said: “Elizabeth suffered a serious injury on what should have been a fun day out. Premises operators have a duty to ensure that areas accessible to the public are safe and properly maintained.”

He added that public figures are subject to the same legal obligations as any other business owner when it comes to visitor safety.

Jeremy Clarkson has been contacted for comment. At the time of publication, no response had been received.

The case raises broader questions about temporary infrastructure at high-traffic rural venues, particularly during periods of adverse weather. As Clarkson’s farm and associated businesses continue to attract significant visitor numbers, scrutiny of site management and safety measures is likely to intensify while the legal process unfolds.