Jeremy Clarkson's farmhand Kaleb Cooper dials 999 as he laments 'what's going on'

Edinburgh Live

a day ago

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Cotswolds-based Kaleb Cooper, famed for his role in Clarkson's Farm, has sparked an impassioned plea on social media as he urged fans to avoid Chinese lanterns during the sizzling heatwave.
The agrarian influencer took to Instagram to vent his frustration after witnessing the risky drift of gleaming lanterns across the Chipping Norton skyline, despite the mercury rising to ever-increasing highs.
In a night-time video clip accompanied by the caption 'what is going on in the world,' Kaleb's fervent message resonated with urgency even amidst the shadows.
Ramping up the stakes, he rang 999 and announced: "I've just called this in to 999 but someone has felt the need to light two Chinese lanterns in and around the Chipping Norton area. They are currently floating over the area. I'm looking at both of them as we speak right now."
By highlighting the danger of igniting lanterns when the environment is bone-dry, he expressed disbelief: "But what goes through someone's mind when they decide to light two Chinese lanterns in the middle of a heatwave. We've hardly had any rain since March. Jesus, honestly. What's going on with the world.", reports the Mirror.
On his Instagram, admirers added their voices to his call for prudence, backing Kaleb's drive for awareness amidst potentially incendiary conditions. A supporter added their voice to the mix, pointing out: "People need educating mate. Spread the message."
Support for Kaleb's view was echoed firmly with one person commenting: "Well said Kaleb, this could quite easily start a wildfire."
Another voiced their concern: "Some people really don't have a clue. The farmer's field next to mine is that dry I can literally put my whole hand down the cracks of the soil."
Adding to the concern, another local said: "They should never do this for any celebration. They let some of these off for a wedding near me. They set fire to someone's house and barn when they landed. Plus livestock can ingest them when they land. It's like balloon releases. It's littering, pure and simple. Should be banned."
On their official webpage, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service takes an unequivocal position regarding sky lanterns: "Sky lanterns are a beautiful sight - but the potential damage they can cause is significant."
Their posted guidance also includes: "They use the heat of a naked flame to float. They're not only a fire hazard but also a danger to livestock, agriculture, camping activities, thatched properties and hazardous material sites."
The rescue service points out the unpredictable nature of the sky lanterns by cautioning: "Whilst ignition and launch are mostly in the control of the user, the actual flight path and end destination are not. There's no guarantee the fuel cell will be completely out and cooled when the lantern lands, so any contact with a flammable surface could start a fire."
The service noted that these individuals have been a nuisance, causing a great deal of trouble: "There's evidence of them causing fires, wasting police time, being mistaken for distress flares, misleading aircraft and killing livestock."