Lee Balkwell died 10 years ago at a farm in Upminster.

Five people have been arrested in connection with the investigation into the death of a man who was crushed in a cement mixer at a farm 10 years ago.

Lee Balkwell was found dead between the drum and chasis of a cement mixer at Baldwin’s Farm, Dennises Lane, Upminster, on July 18, 2002.

A 43 year-old man, from Upminster, was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence, manslaughter, perverting the course of justice and perjury, while a 66-year-old man, a 63-year-old woman and another woman aged 49, all from Upminster, and a 38-year-old man from Southend were also arrested for perverting the course of justice and perjury.

An inquest in 2008 into the death of Mr Balkwell, 33, returned a verdict of unlawful killing through gross negligence.

There have been no arrests until this week.

The arrests were made today by officers working under the direction of Det Chief Supt Lee Catling from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate (SCD), who has been investigating the circumstances leading up to Lee’s death since August 2010.