The clash of rural life with the modern world - Sarah Todd

At the beginning of this summer’s harvest it was warming to see a social media post from the mother of a tractor mad boy. Were any farmers working in the fields nearby who would let them come and watch? Plenty came forward and promised to be in touch when they were going to be bringing the combine in.

How smashing if that little lad got a sit in the cab was a first thought. But no, hang on, life isn’t as straightforward as that anymore.

Last month a farmer was ordered to pay out £3,500 in costs after a neighbour secretly filmed him driving a tractor with his grandchild in the cab.

Video footage taken by a neighbour captured the moment Howard Walters, 78, allowed one of his grandchildren to illegally ride in his tractor.

He was spotted with the child in the tractor cab in January 2021 as he fed cattle on his farm in South Wales.

Mr Walters had already been issued with a prohibition notice by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after admitting to inspectors he allowed his grandchildren to ride in his tractor.

However, just two months later, he was filmed by his neighbour breaching the terms of that notice.

At Swansea Crown Court Mr Walters pleaded guilty, was given a community order and ordered to pay £3,500 costs.

Statistics show that agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in Britain, with an average of around 29 people losing their lives each year and children are always among these sad lists.

Because of talks to their young farmers’ club and stands at the agricultural shows, my now adult offspring know all about the Yellow Wellies farm safety campaign. This generation coming up are much more safety conscious and that must be a good thing.

What is awful is the idea of a neighbour spying on a farmer taking his grandchild out with him across a field - not down a road - to feed his cattle.

As always with these things, there will be more to it than meets the eye but repeatedly the traditions of one world, the rural one, are at odds with the modern one.

To finish on a lighter note, the summer’s agricultural shows are coming to a close and something that will sustain this reporter through the coming months will be a first visit to Hinderwell Show, up on the North York Moors.

Leaving after a day of watching dogs competing for waggiest tail and naughty ponies straight out of Thelwell cartoons the vicar was taking his turn on the gate.

Bucolic rural life is still there, it maybe just takes a bit more finding…