Will Dickinson, a 65-year-old sixth-generation arable farmer from near St Albans, Hertfordshire, remains in recovery following a severe accident in his own fields that left him in an induced coma for ten days. Dickinson was injured when three large hay bales, weighing a combined 1,500 kilograms, fell on him while he was stacking them on his tractor trailer.

The incident occurred just days after Dickinson had helped clear more than 200 tonnes of illegally dumped waste from a neighbouring farm as part of a fundraising campaign. His 80-year-old neighbour, who requested anonymity, faced a liability of £59,000 to remove the fly-tipped waste after reports warned of potential prosecution or financial ruin. A public appeal spearheaded by a reader raised the necessary funds, resolving the issue in June.

Dickinson was working alone at the time of the accident but managed to call emergency services on his mobile phone. Paramedics administered a blood transfusion at the scene but had difficulty reaching the site, requiring assistance from a rural policing team using a 4x4 vehicle to cross the terrain. Subsequently, Dickinson was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital.

Medical assessments revealed extensive injuries, including a split pelvis, 12 fractured ribs, eight spinal fractures, and internal hemorrhaging. He underwent two surgical operations and stayed in intensive care for three weeks. Medical staff conveyed to his wife that there was a 75 percent likelihood he might not regain the ability to walk. Despite this grim prognosis, Dickinson was discharged after six weeks and is currently rehabilitating, using a Zimmer frame and back brace to regain mobility. He has also resumed his involvement in farming by judging ploughing competitions.

Dickinson’s case highlights the risks faced by those working in agriculture, the deadliest industry in the United Kingdom. Although agricultural workers comprise only about 1 percent of the national workforce, they account for roughly 20 percent of all work-related fatalities.