Four million watch Ellie’s dance triumph
“He works so hard. He gets up at 6.30am to go collect the eggs and check on his chickens before school. He mucks them out, puts down fresh bedding and feeds them. He spends all his money on them and even asked for an incubator for Christmas so he could hatch even more chickens. He’s now got about 50 or 60, and it’s growing all the time.”
The youngster, whose parents and grandparents all farm locally in Holmfirth and Slaithwaite, couldn’t believe his eyes when he realised his money had been raided.
Jamie added: “He was so sad and angry because the money he gets from selling eggs he uses for more feed or equipment for his chickens.
“It has been going on for a couple of weeks. The first time, they stole all the money and eggs, and threw them all at the windows down the road.
“Then, we’d go to top up the eggs and find the eggs had sold but the money had gone. We don’t know whether it’s teenagers or kids who keep emptying the money but unfortunately he has had to learn that not everyone is nice.”
Jamie and husband Daniel were so cross they posted the incident on social media, and were overwhelmed by the support and encouragement from the Marsden community.
“They’ve all been so lovely,” said Jamie. “Especially the person who put £20 in the box to cover William’s loss of earnings. It shows there are some nice people out there.
“We’ve been inundated with requests for eggs and they are selling so fast, William is having to go up there four or five times a day to fill them back up and make sure the money is emptied.
“We’ve now fitted CCT V so whoever is stealing better smile for the camera, then I can show it to the police. His dad is also building him a better box to make it more secure.”
William, who has a sister Olivia, is now on a mission to grow his egg business even further due to the increased demand.
The Holme Valley Young Farmers member has already made a name for himself, winning prizes at the Yorkshire Show for his Herdwick sheep and has taken first place a Holmfirth show for his chickens.
And he’s even been known to take charge of lambing, delivering newborn lambs before going to junior school, when his dad Daniel was injured last year. MORE than four million people tuned in to the final of BBC talent competition The Greatest Dancer.
Solo contemporary dancer Ellie Fergusson, 14, from Livingston in Scotland, was crowned the winner of the show on Saturday night.
The programme has seen soloists and ensembles vying for the approval of a live audience and the public, and culminated with four acts in the finale on Saturday night.
Ellie was congratulated on her win by First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon.