A man died following an “industrial incident” that involved a tipper truck in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, police say.

According to The Sun newspaper, the man was a labourer working on a pathway on the estate near Woodstock, Oxfordshire, where Sir Winston Churchill was born, when he was struck by a heavy goods vehicle.

In a statement released on Friday, Thames Valley Police said: “We are working with the Health and Safety Executive to investigate a fatal industrial incident at Blenheim Palace on October 14.

“We were called at around 1pm that day following an incident involving a tipper truck in the palace grounds.

“A 50-year-old man sadly died at the scene; a specially trained police officer is supporting his family at this difficult time.”

No arrests have been made.

Dominic Hare, chief executive of Blenheim Palace, said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of a man who was working for a contractor on a construction site on the wider Blenheim estate on Wednesday October 14.

“Our heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends and colleagues at this extremely difficult time.

“We are supporting Thames Valley Police and the Health and Safety Executive with their investigation, and it would not be appropriate to comment further while that continues.”

Blenheim Palace was initially known as Blenheim Castle following the 1704 Battle of Blenheim before switching to its current name in the 19th century.

It was built between 1705 and 1722 and is one of England’s largest houses. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.