• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content

Home> News

Published 21:19 5 Jul 2023 GMT+1

Family from house in middle of busy M62 motorway say noise and straying sheep are their biggest problems

A couple have shared what life is like in their farmhouse, which is surrounded by the M62 motorway on both sides

Kit Roberts

Kit Roberts

A couple has shared the biggest problems they face living in their farmhouse, which happens to be surrounded by the M62 motorway on both sides.

The unusual setup has become a major feature of the M62, and legend has it that the occupant of the house in the 1960s refused to sell up the land despite offers from developers.

The family moved into the house in 2008.
MEN Media

Advert

In the end, the road had to encircle the house and the land which was attached to it.

Must make it hard to nip down the shop...

Since then, the house and land - called Stott Hall Farm - have been taken over by couple Jill Falkingham and Paul Thorp, as well as their son John-William.

They took over the property in 2008 after the previous owner Ken Wild passed away.

It was indeed Mr Wild who refused to budge. In the end, however, it was a combination of his stubbornness and the nature of his land, which engineers judged to be too steep to hold a motorway, which saved it.

Advert

Now it transpires that the bigger problems that the new occupants face involve two things. The first, perhaps rather obviously, is the noise they have to put up with from the traffic screaming past all day and night.

The motorway passes by on both sides.
BBC

However, another big problem is when sheep in their fields jump over the fence onto the motorway. Understandably this can cause a lot of problems for them as it could cause an accident.

Paul said: “I can’t tell you the number of times it’s happened. My phone will go at 2.00am and it’s somebody from the highways agency.

“‘There’s a sheep on the loose on the motorway — can you go get it?’”

Advert

Jill and Paul were featured on the Channel 4 documentary, The Pennines: The Backbone of Britain last year.

Paul said: “To get an opportunity to take on a farm this size were once in a lifetime, so it’s my home now. It’s just everything.

“It’s just like any other farm really. You’ve got to know your land, know your job and plan around it.

“The only thing is, we’ve got six lanes of traffic through ours. It throws up its challenges, it’s very unique.”

I'll say! I can't think of many other farms encased in a motorway.

Featured Image Credit: MEN Media/BBC
Kit Roberts
Kit Roberts

Kit joined LADbible Group in 2023 as a community journalist. They previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

24 mins ago
2 hours ago
  • 24 mins ago

    Doctors explain how they can tell if you have cancer and diabetes just by your eyes

    It turns out that your eyes say a lot about your health

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Ozempic users hit with side-effect warning as users put at serious risk amid UK heatwave

    Temperatures will be well above 30 degrees in some places across the UK

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Brit who survived Air India disaster describes how he escaped from flight alive in world first interview

    He was the sole survivor out of 242 people on the flight

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Brits issued with 'do not open windows' warning as UK to experience 30C heatwave

    Turns out it's the 'number one' thing not to do

    News
  • Family who bought house in middle of M62 motorway spoke out about bizarre situation
  • Neighbours of family who refused £25 million offer from developers say they’re 'grateful' for their decision
  • Woman from house in middle of M62 motorway said the noise 'grates' on her
  • How NASA astronauts who face being stuck in space until 2025 are keeping busy amid concerns for their return