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A farmer says he sprayed slurry over dozens of luxury cars parked illegally in his field because trespassing urban day-trippers from the city don’t respect the countryside.
After years of putting up with tourists leaving their vehicles on his land as soon as the sun comes out, this week sheep farmer Hogg Hodgson finally snapped.
The furious tenant farmer, whose family has run Rydal Farm in the Lake District, for generations, was filmed covering at least 20 vehicles including Mercedes, Jaguars and BMW, in the foul smelling muck.
A sign at the entrance to the field reads; ‘Polite Notice – DO NOT PARK IN THE FIELD’ and another warns; ‘SHEEP IN THE FIELD’.
Today Mr Hodgson said he was ‘no hero’, and explained he felt forced to discharge the tanker of slurry over cars parked on his land to protect his livestock and his land.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, he said: ‘I’m not proud of what I did. I didn’t do it for any particular reason other than the way tourists behave. I just get fed up with the way they treat the Lake District.
‘I am sick of being abused by people when I ask them not to park on our land.’
Mr Hodgson claimed tourists often leave farm gates open, break fences and drop litter across his fields, which border picturesque Rydal Water, a popular beauty spot between Ambleside and Grasmere.
Hogg Hodgson runs Rydal Hall Farm with his wife Sharon. He today said he was ‘no hero’, and explained he felt forced to discharge the tanker of slurry over cars parked on his land to protect his livestock and his land
The furious farmer sprayed dozens of cars with slurry during the heatwave after they illegally parked on a field near Rydal Water, in the Lake District
A sign is visible which reads ‘Polite Notice – DO NOT PARK IN THE FIELD’ and above is another sign which says ‘SHEEP IN FIELD’
And the third-generation farmer claimed he had acted within the law as he only sprayed vehicles that were on his land.
He said: ‘Everything I did was on the field, I didn’t spray anything on the road.’
But even after the cars left, Mr Hodgson and his family had to fill bags of abandoned litter to clear the site.
Footage of his action against the thoughtless tourists was posted on social media, sparking waves of support.
Emma Davidson wrote on Facebook: ‘I wouldn’t dream of parking in someone’s field, on someone’s estate or outside someone’s house but unfortunately tourists don’t care as long as they park for free. So well done that farmer.’
Stella Conway added: ‘Fabulous give that farmer a medal.’
Geoff Osborne wrote: ‘Selfish entitled half-wits with no idea about rural life. Many visitors are welcome here but the rest can go.’
Brenda Brogan added: ‘That’s the best news I’ve seen all day. Wish someone had done it to the idiots trashing the Yorkshire Dales this weekend.’
Mr Hodgson, who took over the farm from his father, keeps a flock of more than 1,000 Herdwick, Swaledale and Cheviot cross Herdwick sheep
His wife Sharon runs the diversified side of the farm business which includes a wedding venue in converted traditional farm buildings
In the footage, taken by holidaymaker Dylan Wakley, one black Mercedes has been drenched in the manure mixture, while owners of other vehicles appear to be fuming while they assess the state of their cars.
Mr Wakley, from Lyme Regis, Dorset, a farmer himself, said he had no sympathy for the car owners.
‘I can’t blame the farmer really,’ he said. ‘These motorists have ignored the sign and gone out of their way to park on the field, so fair enough.
‘Any farmer who has dealt with tourists has dreamed of doing this. I say poor farmer for having to put up with them.
‘Imagine coming back from a long walk to find your car covered in slurry, horrid. But it is their own fault.
‘It acts as a good deterrent and is justice, really.’
Mr Hodgson, who took over the farm from his father, keeps a flock of over 1,000 Herdwick, Swaledale and Cheviot cross Herdwick sheep, whose wool is used to weave the traditional Lake District Grasmere Tweed.
Rydal Hall Farm is part of the 12,500-acre Rydal Hall Estate which dates back to the 15th century and is still owned by the Le Fleming family
Phone footage shows at least 20 vehicles, including Mercedes, Jaguars and BMWs, parked on the private land near Rydal Water, in the Lake District covered in muck
His wife Sharon runs the diversified side of the farm business which includes a wedding venue in converted traditional farm buildings.
Rydal Hall Farm is part of the 12,500-acre Rydal Hall Estate which dates back to the 15th century and is still owned by the Le Fleming family.
Illegal and inconsiderate parking is a common problem throughout the Lake District and other beauty spots across Britain.
Roads and entrances to properties and land are routinely blocked, hampering emergency vehicles and making pavements impassable.
Cumbria Police said they were investigating the incident.
A spokesman said: ‘Police were made aware at 10pm on the 25th May of reports of cars having been sprayed with suspected cow slurry at a location near to Rydal.
‘Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams are carrying out further inquiries to determine the full circumstances.’
Cumbria Police urge visitors to the national park only to leave their vehicles in an ‘appropriate place’ so as not to block any drivers, especially emergency service vehicles.
But during the recent hot weather more than 50 fixed penalty notices have been issued by police across the Lake District.
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