September 6, 2010 9:22

ELO cellist Mike Edwards killed by falling hay bale

Edwards played with the band from 1972 to 1975

Former ELO cellist Mike Edwards has died in a road incident after a hay bale crushed his van.

The incident occured on the A318 road in Halwell, Devon on Friday (September 3) at around 12:30pm (BST), reports BBC News. Police are investigating the possibility of a 600kg bale falling from a tractor on nearby farmland as the cause of the accident.

Sergeant Steve Walker, of the Devon and Cornwall police traffic unit, said: "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 also said the force was trying to get in contact with a Devon man named David, believed to be Edwards' brother.

Edwards was a founding member of ELO, playing in the band from 1972 to 1975.