THE family of granddad Mervyn Allen, electrocuted in an horrific accident at an agricultural show, say they hope lessons will be learned from the tragedy.

Son Paul, from Cinderford, spoke out after organisers were made to pay £25,000 over the death of the caring father-of-three from Bream, who was electrocuted setting up an exhibit at the Kington Show.

Hereford Magistrates' Court heard Kington Horse and Agricultural Society admit an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Lorry driver Paul, 37, said his father would not have wanted him or his two brothers, Robert and David, to damage the annual show.

He said: "We think the guilty verdict is the right one, but we would still like to wish them every success in the future.

"My dad supported these small agricultural shows and understood how much work they do on behalf of the community.

"At the end of the day they are all volunteers and the main thing is that they have now brought in different procedures. We hope other small shows take this on board and it does not happen again."

Exhibitor Mr Allen died as he raised the silo on the back of his truck to a vertical position on the night before the show in September 2009.

Electricity started arcing as the silo belonging to the 59-year-old grandfather of six came into close contact with overhead high voltage power lines crossing the Oval Farm showground near Kington.

Mark Balysz, for Herefordshire Council, told the court: "The pitch Mr Allen was taken to was unsafe and posed a risk to health. Many simple measures could have been taken to prevent the accident and they could have advised all stallholders of the power lines and asked people what they intended to do on their pitch."

Simon Morgan, representing the 120-year-old society, said everybody involved was devastated by Mr Allen's death but claimed their actions were careless rather than reckless.

He told the court that the show, which has assets of £75,000, now employs a health and safety consultant and bans parking under the cables.

District Judge Bruce Morgan said: "Such shows are the highlight of the local area and take a tremendous amount of organisation as well as being the lifeblood of the rural community.

"I treat the death with tremendous seriousness but feel it was a tragic accident and the organisers weren't reckless."

Paul Nicholas, Herefordshire Council's assistant director for public health, urged show organisers to take advice and added: "We fully support the role agricultural shows have to play in the community and I'm sure this case will remind them of the duties under which they are operating."