A manager at a farm where a teenager died after being caught in a machine told a jury the business would not compromise the safety of its employees.

Michael Hill, of R E Hill and Son in Dundry, told Bristol Crown Court 17-year-old Lee Mason never asked him to help when operating a machine that sifted rough soil into topsoil.

He was said to be "heartbroken" when the youngster became snagged by the machine and was pulled against it, crushing his neck.

Farm owner Roy Hill, aged 66, and his son Michael, 32, both deny manslaughter by gross negligence.

They also deny breaching health and safety rules, but Roy Hill has admitted a separate health and safety charge in employing Lee without carrying out a risk assessment.

A jury has been told Lee, a trainee groundworker, was left in sole charge of the device and, without a safety guard in place, became trapped and was pulled towards the framework.

Michael Hill told the jury: "If I had seen Lee Mason operating the machine without the rear guard, I would have turned the machine off and put the guard on, and I would have given him a telling-off."

He said if staff had a problem they could phone a fitter for help.

He told the court: "If there was a trade-off between damage to a machine and damage to an employee, I would choose damage to a machine."

His wife Victoria said the Hills were a very close family, who mixed socially with their employees. She said that, after the tragedy, her husband was very shocked.

She said: "I had never seen him cry before but, that day, I believe he cried. He was just so shocked he couldn't talk about it, he was so upset. He was heartbroken over what happened."

Mrs Hill said the farm closed as a mark of respect for Lee on the day of his funeral but she and her husband were advised not to go and pay their respects because of an inquiry that was under way.

Character witness Mark Summers said he had known Michael Hill for 15 years and he was well-respected and had risen to the position of first-team captain of Blagdon Rugby Club. "He was on the committee and he was definitely a well-respected and committed member of the team," he said.

Raymond Brine told the court he had known Michael Hill as a youngster and he was always a considerate, well-mannered lad whom he would have adopted at any time.

Roy Hill did not give evidence from the witness box. The jury was read a transcript of a police interview, in which he said, though Lee wasn't a scholar, he was laid back, loved driving machinery and was improving.

Roy Hill stressed that if Lee had had problems, he could have used his mobile phone and called for help.

He told police, if there was a problem with the machine, he would have expected Lee to turn it off.

He said: "This is what we can't make out – why he didn't stop the machine."

The case continues.