First Kelly Groucutt last year, now this, what a way to go.
Signed,
Rick
Founding member of ELO killed in freak accident as giant runaway hay bale smashes into his van
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:42 PM on 5th September 2010
A founding member of ELO has been killed following a freak accident involving a giant bale of hay.
Mike Edwards, 62, who played cello for the band for three years, died when the giant bale weighing 50 stone crashed down on top of his van.
Mr Edwards died instantly in the accident after the bale careered down the hill, and flipped over a hedge.
Scroll down for video
Tragedy: Mike Edwards, a former cellist in ELO, died in a freak accident when a 50-stone bale of hay rolled down a hill, flipped over a hedge and crashed down on his van
Eccentric: Mike Edwards's bizarre costumes and ability to play his cello with fruit were a major part of ELO's appeal
The circular bale is believed to have been in a steeply sloping field beside the road when it somehow rolled and jumped 15ft into traffic.
Police say the accident happened at around 12.30pm on Friday on the A381 between Harbetonford and Halwell in Devon.
The victim was driving a white transit-type van towards Kinsgbridge when the bale of hay smashed into the front cab.
The van swerved after it was hit and then collided with another smaller van coming the other way - but the second driver was unhurt.
Inspector Andy Hamilton said: 'We are liaising with the health and safety people and gathering evidence from the scene of the accident and the field.
'The van came into contact with a very large bale of hay. We are investigating how this came to happen.'
He added that police had spoken to the farmer who owns the field and would be talking to him again shortly.
Mike was a founding member of Electric Light Orchestra and played cello with the group from their first live gig in 1972 until he left in January 1975.
He quit the band to become a Buddhist and later changed his name to Deva Pramada because of his religious convictions.
Performing: Edwards plays his cello during a gig in 1974. He left the band the following year to become a Buddhist and later changed his name to Deva Pramada because of his religious convictions
Mike's eccentric cello playing - including plucking the strings with an orange or grapefruit - and bizarre costumes were a major ingredient of ELO.
He played cello on albums ELO II, On the Third Day, The Night The Light Went On (In Long Beach) and Eldorado.
Steve Walker of the Devon and Cornwall police traffic unit said they were trying to contact his family.
Bowing out: Mike Edwards, on the far left, played cello in ELO from 1972 to 1975
He said: 'This was a tragic accident and we have now identified the victim as Michael Edwards, a founder member of ELO.
'We have used photographs and YouTube footage to identify him but we now need help contacting his family for formal identification.
'We don't believe he was ever married and we have identified an ex-girlfriend but she is currently abroad.'
He continued: 'We think he may have a brother called David in the Yorkshire area and we obviously need to contact him.
'Michael has no immediate family but we believe he may have taught some cello in Devon and would ask his students to contact us if they know of any relations.'
Read more: Electric Light Orchestra founding member Mike Edwards killed by 50-stone hay bale freak accident | Mail Online
Signed,
Rick
Founding member of ELO killed in freak accident as giant runaway hay bale smashes into his van
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:42 PM on 5th September 2010
A founding member of ELO has been killed following a freak accident involving a giant bale of hay.
Mike Edwards, 62, who played cello for the band for three years, died when the giant bale weighing 50 stone crashed down on top of his van.
Mr Edwards died instantly in the accident after the bale careered down the hill, and flipped over a hedge.
Scroll down for video
Tragedy: Mike Edwards, a former cellist in ELO, died in a freak accident when a 50-stone bale of hay rolled down a hill, flipped over a hedge and crashed down on his van
Eccentric: Mike Edwards's bizarre costumes and ability to play his cello with fruit were a major part of ELO's appeal
The circular bale is believed to have been in a steeply sloping field beside the road when it somehow rolled and jumped 15ft into traffic.
Police say the accident happened at around 12.30pm on Friday on the A381 between Harbetonford and Halwell in Devon.
The victim was driving a white transit-type van towards Kinsgbridge when the bale of hay smashed into the front cab.
The van swerved after it was hit and then collided with another smaller van coming the other way - but the second driver was unhurt.
Inspector Andy Hamilton said: 'We are liaising with the health and safety people and gathering evidence from the scene of the accident and the field.
'The van came into contact with a very large bale of hay. We are investigating how this came to happen.'
He added that police had spoken to the farmer who owns the field and would be talking to him again shortly.
Mike was a founding member of Electric Light Orchestra and played cello with the group from their first live gig in 1972 until he left in January 1975.
He quit the band to become a Buddhist and later changed his name to Deva Pramada because of his religious convictions.
Performing: Edwards plays his cello during a gig in 1974. He left the band the following year to become a Buddhist and later changed his name to Deva Pramada because of his religious convictions
Mike's eccentric cello playing - including plucking the strings with an orange or grapefruit - and bizarre costumes were a major ingredient of ELO.
He played cello on albums ELO II, On the Third Day, The Night The Light Went On (In Long Beach) and Eldorado.
Steve Walker of the Devon and Cornwall police traffic unit said they were trying to contact his family.
Bowing out: Mike Edwards, on the far left, played cello in ELO from 1972 to 1975
He said: 'This was a tragic accident and we have now identified the victim as Michael Edwards, a founder member of ELO.
'We have used photographs and YouTube footage to identify him but we now need help contacting his family for formal identification.
'We don't believe he was ever married and we have identified an ex-girlfriend but she is currently abroad.'
He continued: 'We think he may have a brother called David in the Yorkshire area and we obviously need to contact him.
'Michael has no immediate family but we believe he may have taught some cello in Devon and would ask his students to contact us if they know of any relations.'
Read more: Electric Light Orchestra founding member Mike Edwards killed by 50-stone hay bale freak accident | Mail Online
