Latest news with #cropcircles
BBC News
07-08-2025
- BBC News
‘I'm proud no sheep have escaped this week': Inside England's farming community
Update: Date: 08:41 BST Title: 'Crops circles are very clever but still criminal damage' Content: Will Pope, who has a farm in Dorset, has told us about the 'pain and aggravation' of finding a spider-shaped crop circle on his land. 'It's a lot of damage, a lot of cost and a lot of stress,' he says. He was alerted to the crop circle on his land last year when images of the farm in Sturminster Marshall started circulating on social media. Will says he found a 'family in the middle having a picnic' when he went to cut the crops. He suggests the culprits approach the farmer with their ideas before causing 'criminal damage' - that way they might be able to come to some arrangement and still be able to enjoy the crop circle. This video can not be played BBC reporter Steve Harris speaks to Will Pope about the financial impact of crop circles Update: Date: 08:32 BST Title: 'We're determined to start again after fire' Content: Peter and Alison hope to be open in time for Christmas Peter and Alison Themans had spent 20 years building up their Wenlock Edge Farm Shop business in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, but the buildings were destroyed in just a few hours, leaving only their home next door. On 26 May, a fire caused by an electrical fault tore through the shop, butchery and charcuterie. "We went to bed the night after the fire and I couldn't stop thinking about the scale of work ahead of us," Alison says. "I asked Peter if he was certain he wanted to start again, but we both felt we were not ready to retire." Update: Date: 08:27 BST Title: 'Arson has left us too scared to leave our farm' Content: The fire at Egghill farm near Birmingham Farmer Rob Charles says his family is now scared to leave their Worcestershire home unattended after a fire - believed to be arson - caused damage totalling £160,000. The blaze, which broke out at Egghill Farm near Frankley in August 2024, destroyed two barns, two trailers and hundreds of bales of hay. Rob says the fear of it happening again has left a lasting impact on his family, who haven't taken a holiday together since the incident. "We were insured for the physical costs, but it's the emotional impact that stays with you," he tells the BBC. Update: Date: 08:19 BST Title: 'Rural crime has a serious impact' Content: Lauren WoodheadData journalist We've been hearing about what makes farming such a special job, but it's not without its challenges - including the threat of being targeted by criminals. It is an issue that farming-focused insurer NFU Mutual tracks closely. According to its data, rural crime cost £44.1m in 2024 - down about 17% from the year before. It saw drops in the theft of GPS units, quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles, but tractor theft and trailer theft rose by 17% and 15% respectively. NFU Mutual's data also painted a picture across the UK, with Wales being the only place to see the cost of rural crime rising. Rachel Hallos, NFU vice-president, said such crimes 'have a serious impact on farming families, from the financial cost of stolen equipment to the emotional distress caused by livestock attacks'. Update: Date: 08:08 BST Title: At one with the farm animals Content: Across England, our reporters and presenters are making new friends on the farms they're visiting. In Wimpole, Cambridgeshire, goats and cows are the star attraction this morning - but they're a little shy on the microphone. These goats are a little sheepish in front of the microphone In Wimpole, Cambridgeshire, this cow is making the most of the attention on the farm This cow is milking its time in the spotlight Update: Date: 07:58 BST Title: A day in the life of a farmer Content: While most people are still snug in bed, farmers like Rebecca Wilson are already hard at work - checking on livestock, tending to newly-hatched chicks and making the most of every daylight hour. Rebecca, who runs a farm in the outskirts of Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, says: 'We could be working until midnight this evening, but it's amazing how quick the time passes because you are always busy.' BBC York reporter Hannah Sackville-Bryant went along to find out more. This video can not be played Hannah Sackville-Bryant spends the day with farmer and podcaster Rebecca Wilson Update: Date: 07:50 BST Title: 'I put a bow tie on a llama... and suddenly we were booking weddings' Content: While farming is a family tradition for some, others come to it later in life. Celia Gaze decided to start a business on her husband's farm after being signed off from work due to stress. The Well Being Farm in Bolton is a passion project which saw her swap the office walls of the NHS for open fields... and llamas. "One day I decided to put a bow tie on a llama and suddenly everyone wanted to come and visit the Well Being Farm," she said. "We got countless bookings for weddings and people coming from far and wide to see them." She has since dedicated different areas to regenerative farming, and hopes to inspire others to reflect on the trajectory of their lives. Update: Date: 07:35 BST Title: 'Dad had a passion for old-fashioned farm animals' Content: Farming has always been a source of joy for Countryfile's Adam Henson, whose Cotswold Farm Park attraction in Gloucestershire was founded by his dad Joe in 1971. "Dad had a passion for keeping old-fashioned farm animals," he says. "Breeds such as the Old Gloucester Cattle, Gloucester Old Pig and Cotswold Sheep were going extinct, so dad decided to start keeping them. "Eventually he had 50 different breeds, so to pay for them he decided to open the farm up to make it work. "He was very much ahead of his time allowing visitors to bottle-feed a lamb or hold a chick." Update: Date: 07:21 BST Title: 'We are proud to be farmers' Content: It's not just the BBC celebrating farming life today. The team at Farmers Guardian are hosting their annual #Farm24 campaign too. They've been asking farmers to share what makes them proud about the job they do. Yorkshire farmer Rebecca Wilson joked she was just proud no sheep had escaped this week. "On a serious note, I am proud that every day I get to do a job that feeds people," she said. "Whether it is looking after livestock or checking crops, we're out here doing our bit to produce food sustainably." Here's what Rebecca and others had to say: This video can not be played 'I can't see our lives ever being without farming' Update: Date: 07:10 BST Title: Breakfast on the farm Content: Early starts are part and parcel of farming life - and that's something the team at BBC Breakfast know all about too. They're spending the morning on a farm in Wiltshire that's going to have a big role to play in our coverage as the day goes on. BBC Breakfast presenter Tim Muffett reporting live from Malmesbury Update: Date: 06:57 BST Title: Welcome to Farmwatch 2025 Content: As the harvest comes in, we're taking you behind the farm gates to meet the people who shape the countryside and feed the nation. Our teams at BBC Local radio stations are turning the spotlight on farming communities throughout England with 24 hours of coverage which began at 6am. For the next 12 hours, we'll be bringing you some of the highlights from the day and our coverage across the BBC. You'll find more on our social media channels, including with the #BBCFarmwatch hashtag Stay with us to hear first-hand from farmers about the passion they have for their work as well as the struggles they face. We'll also have insight from the team at Farmers Guardian whose #Farm24 campaign is taking place today too. This video can not be played
BBC News
10-06-2025
- BBC News
Wiltshire Police urge people to report crop circles to them
A police force has asked people to report crop circles, warning that creating them without the landowner's permission is criminal circles are a common sight in Wiltshire with many created legally but some are not and Wiltshire Police said they can cause "short and long-term damage to crops and fields".The force said they also attract other issues, such as unlawful drone use, aggravated trespass and theft from farm buildings."While they might look impressive, creating a crop circle without the landowner's permission is criminal damage. These acts can cause serious short and long-term damage to crops and fields and may also attract further illegal activity", said Wiltshire Police. Landowners who find themselves with a crop circle on their land, and do not want visitors to come and see it, are being asked to make sure there are clear no public access signs around they are happy with the public visiting, then they are responsible for health and safety on their land so may need to get advice from their insurer, police Police are urging people to report crop circles through their 101 phone number or online.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Mystery as crop circles appear on farms in world-famous UFO hotspot
Mysterious crop circles have been discovered etched into fields in one of the world's most famous UFO hotspots. Wiltshire in the UK has become the epicenter of the phenomenon since the 1970s, and the bizarre designs were recently found just 13 miles away from Stonehenge. A perfectly crafted geometric design was spotted in a farmer's field in the Wiltshire village of Sutton Veny on May 15. The pattern included a central design resembling a Celtic knot or a four-pointed star within a circle. On May 19, another unique crop circles was found in a grass field 30 miles away in the nearby county of Dorset. That design featured several geometric shapes set inside two overlapping circles. Crop circles are large, unexplained formations that appear, typically in the middle of the night, in fields with tall grass or fresh crops like wheat or corn. While many suspect the massive designs are the work of artists or pranksters, UFO conspiracy theorists have maintained that crop circles are made by extraterrestrials who are leaving cryptic messages for humans. However, it's been proven that many are man-made, using tools like planks to push down and flatten crops as a mean to spark fears or artistic expression. But some people truly believe the crop circles are the work of aliens as they can range between 50 and 1,000 feet in length but apparently take only minutes to create in the dark of night. Although these strange patterns have been discovered in dozens of countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan, crop circles have been most commonly found in the UK. Moreover, roughly 80 percent of all UK crop circles have been reported in Wiltshire. Since 2005, there have been more than 380 crop circles recorded in this area alone. The formations are typically found in crop fields and their appearance often coincides with the growing season, when crops are mature enough to show visible patterns but haven't been harvested yet. In countries in Earth's Northern Hemisphere, like the US and UK, crop circles tend to appear between May and August when the crops are tall enough to be flattened into circular patterns. Images and footage of the recent crop circles have flooded the internet where people claim they are a form of 'communication.' UAP researcher Holly Wood posted on X: 'Who or what is trying to get our attention?' Another Ufologist shared: 'People say when you look at it from the top, the symbol makes them 'download' certain information to their subconscious mind.' While the crop circles have sparked theories of alien visitors, the owner of the field where the Celtic knot was found was reportedly 'very upset' that someone or something flattened his valuable crops. However, he's making the most of the setback by opening the field up to crop circle enthusiasts to come and view the new pattern for a small donation, according to Coast to Coast AM, hosted by UFO enthusiast George Noory. Monique Klinkenbergh, founder of the crop circle exhibition in Wiltshire's Pewsey Vale, admitted that there are definitely man-made crop circles on Earth, but others are much harder to explain without considering UFOs and aliens. 'If you listen to eye witness accounts, the unexplained circles have one thing in common - they were formed in minutes, or seconds, by an invisible source,' Klinkenbergh told the BBC in 2023. 'There is definitely a mystery going on, but it's very hard to label the source, whether it is extra-terrestrial, paranormal or just nature,' she added. For example, the 2001 'Milk Hill circle' in Wiltshire had over 400 circles spanning 787 feet and was said to be too complex for humans to quickly create in one night. UFO researchers have also claimed that crop circles display several unusual features, like crop stalks which have all been perfectly bent but not broken or cut by machinery. Witnesses have also claimed to have seen orbs of light and other strange beams appearing over fields moments before the crop circles formed. Despite these strange occurrences, several people have come forward since the 1990s to claim that they were the culprits behind crop circles around the world. In 1991, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley, two Englishmen from Southampton, confessed to creating over 200 crop circles in southern England during the late 1970s. They claimed that they used simple tools like planks, ropes, and a sighting device (a baseball cap with a wire loop) to flatten crops into circular patterns. In 2002, five aeronautics and astronautics graduate students from MIT were recruited by a television show to create crop circles, aiming to replicate the work of Bower and Chorley. The students successfully produced a formation that could be mistaken as an alien message.
