UK farmers fear people mocking Theresa May will damage crops by running through fields of wheat
More than 29,000 people have signed up for a spoof Facebook event
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Your support makes all the difference.Farmers fear thousands of people could begin trespassing on their land and damaging crops as they copycat Theresa May running through fields of wheat.
The Prime Minister was widely ridiculed when she said it was the naughtiest thing she had ever done.
"I have to confess, when me and my friend, sort of, used to run through the fields of wheat, the farmers weren’t too pleased about that,” she told ITV News.
In response, a Facebook event titled “Running Through a Field of Wheat” has been set up to take place on 23 and 24 June.
More than 29,000 people have said they plan to attend the event, which does not specify a location but is linked to the “What On? - Norwich” Facebook page. A further 59,000 have said they are interested in attending.
The event description reads: “Feeling naughty? Been selling arms to Saudi Arabia? Privatised the NHS recently? Come join us for a cheeky frolick through fields of wheat, the farmers will love it".
Images and videos have already appeared on social media showing people mocking Ms May by running through wheat fields.
One woman posted a photo of her mother alongside the caption: “My mum, being RECKLESS”.
Another post shows a video of two people running through wheat. The clip is captioned: “Genuinely couldn’t wait for this event… We are a very naughty couple of reprobates!”
However, a number of people commenting on the event page expressed fears that the prank could damage crops.
“Are you going to compensate the farmer for the loss of the wheat?”, one said. “Sorry but can you do something else that's not going to destroy the livelihood of someone?”
Another added: “How about we get all the farmers and their animals to run through your gardens and prevent you earning your livelihood. Do you eat bread, cakes, cereals and eggs? All these things rely on farmers crops, unless you want it all GM and imported from USA and Russia?”
A third wrote: “Why would you be so ignorant in promoting idiots to run through a farmer’s field of wheat destroying his crop and livelihood?.” He added, though, that he did agree that Theresa May is “incompetent”.
Other users quickly reassured critics that the event was not intended to be serious. One wrote: “It’s a joke about Theresa May. It’s not real. So don’t worry.”
A spokesman for the National Union of Farmers (NFU) told The Independent: “We welcome members of the public to responsibly enjoy the countryside, but remember it’s a working environment, so please be considerate when walking on farmland.
“Farming plays an important role in managing the great British countryside. Over 70 per cent of the UK’s land area is farmed, providing habitats for wildlife and iconic landscapes for us all to enjoy. This, too, has economic benefits for people living and working in rural communities as rural tourism is worth at least £2 billion a year.”
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