Young farmers’ marathon for charity

Young farmers in Perthshire have organised a 24-hour charity “ploughathon” at Bridge of Earn next weekend.

Starting at 3pm next Saturday, up to 14 members of Perth and District JAC will take turns to plough as much as they can in 24 hours, despite several of them having little or no experience of ploughing.

The challenge is designed to raise money and awareness of mouth cancer after one of the club’s members, Neil Heggie, suffered from the illness in 2014. His treatment involved chemotherapy, radiotherapy and an operation to remove a third of his tongue.

He said: “I had to learn how to speak, chew and swallow again after the operations.

I still struggle and can’t eat some food, mainly meat. I’ve been clear for four years now but have had a few infections along the way while my immune system is still recovering.”

The ploughing marathon is taking place in a field on Brickhall Farm which is owned by Kenneth Paterson, a vice-president of the club. Sponsors include Agricar, which is donating the tractor and plough, and Oilfast which is donating the fuel needed for the challenge.

The club is in the process of setting up a Just Giving page on their Perthshire District Facebook page which will be in place ahead of the event.

I had to learn how to speak, chew and swallow again after the operations. I still struggle and can’t eat some food, mainly meat