The son of football legend Stuart Pearce has been tragically killed in a tractor crash.
The former England international is grieving after his son Harley Pearce lost control of the farm vehicle on a country road near his family home in Wiltshire.
The tractor he was driving suffered a possible tyre blow-out which caused him to veer off the road.
Harley, 21, died at the scene in Witcombe, last Thursday, Gloucestershire Police confirmed.
The force said his parents have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
Harley was the youngest of two children Stuart had with his ex-wife, Liz.
The former couple also have an older daughter, Chelsea, from their 20-year marriage that ended in 2013.
Harley Pearce, the son of football legend Stuart Pearce, pictured with his girlfriend Holly Watts
Harley Pearce, pictured as a teenager with his older sister Chelsea
Harley, pictured as a boy playing football in an England kit, died at the scene last Thursday
Chelsea is an equestrian rider who has competed at three European Championships for Great Britain.
In 1999 Stuart was awarded an MBE by the late Queen for his playing career and charity work and in more recent years had worked as a pundit and co-commentator for talkSPORT.
Emergency services were called at around 2.30pm on Thursday to a report of a collision involving a tractor on the A417 Old Birdlip Hill in Witcombe.
Investigating officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash or who has any relevant dashcam footage to get in touch.
A source told the Daily Mail: ‘From what we’ve been told is Harley’s tractor had a blow out and he lost control.’
Harley ran his own company, Harley Pearce Agricultural Service, working on farms on the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire border. He lived near Marlborough in Wiltshire.
Former England footballer Stuart Pearce is grieving after his son lost control of the farm vehicle
Stuart Pearce had two children with his ex-wife Liz (pictured on their wedding day)
His father was himself involved in a serious car crash in 1998 when the car he was driving was crushed by a lorry overturning and landing on the roof of vehicle.
He escaped with only minor hand injuries and a stiff back
Speaking to talkSPORT in 2020, Stuart revealed a touching anecdote about how he helped Harley win his school’s Fantasy Football league when his son was eight years old.
Pretending he wanted information for the England U21 team, Stuart rang then Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to ask whether he was planning to play Phil Jones or Chris Smalling in the last game of the season.
Sir Alex gave him the answer and Stuart told his son who added that player – though he admitted he could not remember which one – for his Fantasy Football side and the subsequent clean sheet points United earned during the game saw him win the league.
Stuart has been approached for comment.
