Shocking news for father, but not from Baghdad

When Brian Goodman saw the police walking up his driveway, hat in hand, he feared that his son in war-torn Baghdad was dead.

He could not have comprehended that it was another son, Sandy, 26, who had been killed while mowing a section in Lyttelton, near Christchurch, on Tuesday.

Sandy Goodman was working at his job as a commercial lawnmower on a steep section when the mower rolled, trapping him underneath.

"No answers are going to bring him back. We just have to accept the fact," said Mr Goodman.

"I feel for other people who have lost children. He was only 26. He had his whole life ahead of him."

Mr Goodman said he had always prepared himself that his son Tim could be killed while working as a security guard in Iraq.

Tim, a former soldier, had served in other danger spots such as Bosnia and East Timor.

Sandy had been working as a lawnmowing contractor for nearly a year.

He bought the mower he was killed on early last year. It was specially designed for mowing rugged lifestyle blocks and land up to a 45-degree gradient.

Sandy's company was called Hellworks 4WD Mowing.

He also worked as a relief truck driver and had recently bought 40-gallon drums for scrap metal collection. He would drop these at businesses around town, then collect the full drums without charge to sell on.

As a teenager Sandy had bought and sold at least 50 cars. He is survived by his wife, Laura.

- CHRISTCHURCH STAR