DON, THE TRACTOR DRIVING SHEEPDOG, BRINGS MOTORWAY TO A STANDSTILL
SHEEPDOG Don brought rushhour motorway traffic to a standstill – after crashing a tractor.
The collie leapt on the vehicle as farmer Tom Hamilton, 77, tended to a lamb in a field.
And Don soon discovered his sheep- herding skills were not much use behind the wheel as it careered downhill, through a fence and on to the M74 in Lanarkshire.
The mini tractor came to halt in the central reservation, with fouryear- old Don sitting perplexed – but not in the least bit sheepish – behind the wheel. No one was hurt in the incident that caused traffi c tailbacks on the northbound carriageway near Abington.
Mr Hamilton, who has worked on Kirkton Farm for 52 years, said he had stopped the tractor but not put the brake on.
He added: “I thought I had put the handbrake on but it wasn’t tight enough and it just went off.
“Don was in the cab as it went down the hill and right across the road. I thought the fence would have stopped him but it didn’t. I couldn’t keep up with it.
“I tried to run after it but I tripped and fell and watched it roll down the hill. I can’t believe no one was injured and it’s all been very lucky.
“I’ve had him since he was a pup and he is a clever, loyal dog, who loves my grandchildren.”
Mr Hamilton’s wife Margaret, 77, added: “It is just such a relief no one was hurt. I made Tom go to the doctor after it but he was more worried about Don than he was about himself.
“Luckily the traffi c saw the tractor coming and that stopped any major accidents.”
Traffi c Scotland posted news of the 8.15am incident on Twitter, sparking a fl ood of dog- related jokes. Tony T wrote: “Police investigating, so far no leads.”
Michelle Muirhead asked: “Will the dog have points on his licence? Was he breathalysed?”
A Traffi c Scotland spokesman said later: “The dog accidentally leaned on the controls and the vehicle made its way out of the fi eld and on to the M74.”
Animal welfare charity, Scottish SPCA, said: “This is the fi rst time we have heard of a dog operating a vehicle in Scotland – and we certainly hope it will be the last.” And Don the collie’s future? Mr Hamilton said: “Don’s driving days are over. I won’t let him drive if he’s going to drive on to the motorway like that.”
COMMUTERS in South Lanarkshire had a good excuse for being late yesterday morning when a sheepdog caused traffic chaos by driving a tractor on to the M74. One thing is for sure – farmer Tom Hamilton would be barking mad to leave his dog and his tractor alone together again.