A FARM manager has spoken of his shock after a young fruit picker died during a party. Valdas Urba, 25, a Lithuanian, fell on to a concrete floor at a hut on Gaskains Farm, Selling, near Faversham, last Friday sustaining severe head injuries.

Ambulance staff found him lying unconscious and called police. It is thought Mr Urba fell after a scuffle, believed to be have been over a girl. He died in hospital on Monday. An inquest is expected to open next week.

Acting Det Ch Insp Mick Costello said: "A post-mortem has established he died as a result of a blow to the head. We have set up an incident room and our inquiries are ongoing at this stage."

Mark Gaskain, manager of the farm, said it appeared to have been a freak incident. It's unspeakably tragic," he added.

The farm employs around 80 students, mainly from eastern Europe, under a Home Office approved scheme. A community hut is set aside for them on the site.

On Saturday, a 23-year-old Romanian appeared before magistrates at Sittingbourne charged with grievous bodily harm. He was remanded in custody for a week.