Millom farmer swims to save sheep during flooding

Oliver Watson, 16, of Hill Farm at Holmrook in Copeland, woke up in the early hours of Monday morning (October 28) after his phone 'made a siren sound' warning him of flash flooding.

"There was just water everywhere," Oliver said. "I ran out of bed and got on my quad bike." By the time he reached the field, the water was already so deep it was impassable even for all-terrain vehicle. 

"At some points the water was deeper than me," Oliver said. "The water was running very fast. If I couldn't get there within 15 minutes the sheep would have been dead." 

In the video, which was filmed by his dad, Oliver can be seen holding onto the sheep and swimming to drier land with his dog also in the water trying to round up the animals. 

The unexpected amount of rainfall hit the region hard, closing Duddon Bridge and causing damage to properties in Ulverston. 

Oliver and his dog saving the expensive sheep (Image: Oliver Watson) If the flock, a mixture of expensive Dutch Spotted sheep from Holland, Badger Face Texels and Blue Texels had died, the farm would have faced a significant financial loss. 

"There are ewes in that field we have been bid £15,000 for," Oliver said. He explained that the animals fetch such high prices for their genetics. 

Oliver said that farming sometimes involves 'putting your life on the line' for your animals (Image: Oliver Watson) Speaking about how farmers are viewed in general, he said: "I don't think in any other profession you are putting your own life on the line for the animals."

Talking about the rain: "To have to experience things like putting yourself in danger to rescue and help the sheep - [it has] never been quite as bad as that." 

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When asked what made him want to be a farmer, he said: 'It's just in the family, we've always been farmers.' 

The A595 closed at Duddon Bridge on Monday because the river burst its banks and the levels breached the arch of the bridge. 

A number of properties were flooded on Springfield Road in Ulverston due to a burst water pipe and Environment Agency crews had to pull debris out of Town Beck at 1 in the morning to get the water flowing.