Grandmother Elizabeth Palmby, 68, broke her ribs and required surgery after slicing her hand open on “razor sharp” metal covers in the car park of Jeremy Clarkson‘s Cotswolds pub. Surgeons had to operate to remove metal fragments from the car park that were left inside her hand. She’s been left with a “horrible” jagged scar as a permanent reminder of what was supposed to be an enjoyable day out. The Farmer’s Dog has been made famous after featuring on Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime, which follows Jeremy’s exploits as he runs a farm and the venue. Elizabeth, from Scunthorpe, said: “I know Jeremy is a perfectionist, and the pub itself was perfect, and the staff were great, but the car park was a total disaster. It is very dangerous and an accident waiting to happen. I am probably scarred for life.”
NHS worker Elizabeth and her husband Darren had made the three-and-a-half-hour journey down from their home in November last year, but rainfall had turned the car park into a mud bath, with metal sheets covering puddles.
Elizabeth was carrying eggs back to the car when she fell, adding: “I instinctively threw my hand out to save myself and badly banged my knee. I fell flat, landing on the bag carrying the eggs, smashing them all.”
After reporting the accident to staff in the car park, her husband rushed her to Witney Community Hospital.
She said: “So, I didn’t know how bad it was. But when they cleaned it up, I saw a gaping, open, jagged, ugly wound. It was horrible and very painful. The carpark covers must have been razor sharp to do that sort of damage.”
After being discharged and bandaged, she returned to the pub to fill in the accident book, and after a complimentary meal and new eggs, she returned home.
However, she later had her X-rays reviewed and needed metal fragments removed from her hand by a plastic surgeon. What’s more, it was also revealed that she had broken ribs from the fall.
Elizabeth later returned to the pub with her husband to see if things had improved after her accident and was shocked to see nothing had changed.
Planning permission to install a permanent hard surface in the car park was approved by West Oxfordshire District Council last month, but work cannot begin until a “detailed” surface water drainage scheme is submitted and approved in the next few months.
Despite feeling a bit intimidated by Jeremy, she contacted the accident specialists at Express Solicitors and started a compensation claim.
The Farmer’s Dog has been contacted by Express.co.uk for comment.