Farmer Saved From Ruin After Strangers Rally to Pay $40k to Remove Dumped Rubbish

An 80-year-old farmer in England was being forced to pay $52,000 (£40k) to remove rubbish that was illegally dumped on his land by miscreants, until a kind neighbor set up a fundraising campaign to help clear the mess.

The farmer in his eighties was facing prosecution, after the UK Environment Agency deemed the clean-up job too large for them to get involved, according to SWNS news agency.

200 tons of waste like roofing material, plumbing fixtures, and construction cast-offs was dumped last year in his field alongside a road in Hertfordshire, near St Albans—over 40 dump truck loads.

The perpetrators could never be identified, so responsibility for disposal of the trash fell to the elderly farmer who wishes to remain anonymous.

After reading about the farmer’s plight, Archie Ford launched a JustGiving fundraiser which met its goal in just three days. When the story made headlines, more donations came in raising £58,000 in total.

This week, Archie met with the victim and neighboring farmer Will Dickinson, who has been supporting the effort.

“I was facing a real-life nightmare, but I’ve been blown away by the support I’ve received from so many people,” said the anonymous farmer.

“This has restored my faith in humanity. I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me. I had no idea what was going to happen to me.”

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Almost 2,000 donors sent money, and the thousands of dollars leftover will be used to support other victims of waste-dumping in Hertfordshire, which is about an hour north of London.

31-year-old Archie said it was ‘outrageous’ that farmers were deemed responsible for dumping if the perpetrators couldn’t be found.

“I knew I had to do something as soon as I read this farmer’s story. The situation he was facing was so unfair—and I have been amazed by how many people have supported the crowd-funder.”