A Cheshire farmer was fined after a crash involving a van and a car on the A51 in Clotton left one driver with life changing injuries, and another with serious injuries.

At 8.30pm on Saturday 17 October 2020, a Vauxhall Corsa crossed crossed into the opposing carriageway, crashing head-on into a Mercedes Sprinter van. Police are reminding farmers and those in construction to make sure that mud is cleared from roads, after it was found that agricultural work on an adjacent field had left the road in a very poor state.

The farmer responsible for the mud on the road, Mr John Hocknell of Sunnyside Farm was given a fine of £250.00, at Chester Magistrates Court in January this year, with further legal costs bringing the total to over £1000.

PC Iain Condliffe, who investigated the crash, said: "We want to highlight the consequences of failing to clear the road of mud that your machinery deposits on the roadway, and the responsibility you have for making sure the roads are clear and safe for other road users.

"This isn’t just isolated to farmers working in their fields - construction machinery can also leave mud on the roads leaving them a hazard for other road users. It is an offence to deposit something on a road that causes danger to other road users. If you are likely to do this due to your type of work it is your responsibility to make sure it is properly cleaned up and adequate warning is provided for other users."