Grandfather, 83, is crushed to death by runaway police van: Officers left the handbrake off, say witnesses Pensioner on trip to Pudsey Park, Pudsey, West Yorkshire, with his son Donald Bennett, 83, was eating an ice cream when hit by van The incident has been referred to Independent Complaints Commission By Paul Bently And Emine Sinmaz and Tara Brady A pensioner was killed when a police van believed to have been parked with its handbrake off rolled down a slope and hit him. Witnesses said Donald Bennett, 83, was unable to jump to safety because he had recently had an operation and relied on two sticks to walk. The tragedy happened when two officers were called to deal with a disturbance at a park where Mr Bennett was sitting on a wall eating ice cream. Donald Bennett, 83, died when he was hit by the two tonne van as he sat on a wall eating an ice cream They parked their two-tonne Ford Transit at the top of a slope, but appear to have left the handbrake off when they went to investigate the incident involving youths. The van then rolled forward and crushed the great-grandfather. Paramedics were called, but he died of his injuries. The accident, which happened in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, on Saturday afternoon, has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Floral tributes have been left at the scene where Donald Bennett died in Pudsey Park Mr Bennett, a retired joiner who lived nearby with his wife Marjorie, 83, had been driven by his son to enjoy the sunshine in Pudsey Park, which was packed with families. Floral tributes from his family, including Mr Bennett's grandchildren, mark the spot close to the park gates where the pensioner was killed. Richard Brook, who lives a few streets from Mr Bennett's home and was in the park today, said the community was stunned and saddened by his death. 'We heard about it on Saturday night,' he said. We were shocked, especially for it to happen in a park like this. He was actually watching the bowls with his son and he came up here to this end of the park for an ice cream, as far as I know. 'I'd see him walking around near his home and he seemed like a nice bloke. 'I can't see how this could have happened.' Mrs Bennett was being consoled at home yesterday by relatives. A family member, who asked not to be named, said: "It is all very shocking and sad. He was a loving grandfather. Dog walker Barry Smith described what happened after the PC and WPC arrived in their van. "They jumped out to go and speak to the young lads who were being a nuisance and they left the handbrake off," he said. The van rolled forward and crushed Mr Bennett to death. He couldn't move because he needed two walking sticks to get around because he'd just come out of hospital after an operation. Last night neighbours said Mr Bennett was well known locally and was affectionately called "Donald Duck" by children in the area. "Donald was such a lovely man, and would always go the extra mile for anyone despite his age," said one, who asked not to be named. He loved going out on walks - he was always smiling. He used to stop and talk to children around here when they were with their parents and childminders. When the news filtered through, it deeply shocked everybody. We're all saddened and stunned. In a statement, the IPCC said: 'The force referred the incident, which happened on Saturday at about 2.15pm to the IPCC and an IPCC investigator was sent to the scene. An independent IPCC investigation was launched shortly afterwards.