Australian woman decapitated in freak accident

A WOMAN was killed while walking to work yesterday after she was struck in the head by a flying piece of steel in a freak lawn mowing accident in north Queensland, Australia. The accident left the victim decapitated.

The 42-year-old, who has not been named, was walking along a path in Townsville, just after 8am local time when she was hit by the piece of pipe.

It is thought that a slasher, a tool used to clear bushes and grassland, being towed by a small tractor ran over the pipe, which had been hidden in long grass.

The tractor was mowing a vacant block next to a Liquor Land bottle store and was believed to be operated by a private contractor.

An ambulance was called at 8:12am but the woman died instantly.

It was initially thought a mower blade caused the fatal injuries. A witness described the tragic event as a “freak accident”.

It is understood the woman was struck by a 60cm piece of steel pipe.

The tractor driver, a male unnamed 48-year-old private contractor, is in hospital suffering shock and will be interviewed by police later while witnesses have been offered counselling.

Cheryl Mortenson, a Queensland police spokeswoman, said: “She had been walking along the footpath when she was hit in the head by a piece of flying metal.

“The tractor was operating nearby and she was struck in the head. We don’t know if it was a piece of metal or if it was another object.”

Darren Randall, a local policeman who attended the scene, added: “She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“She just happened to be in the exact trajectory of the pipe.”

Another witness said: A witness said: “She would not have known about it. It seemed the piece of metal flew through the air at a tremendous speed.

“This just goes to show that terrible things can happen to anybody at any time in any place.

“You are always aware that you could die in a car accident – but just walking to work and dying in this way is just unbelievable.

“It’s something you could never prepare for.”