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Fairy light tractors fundraise for air ambulance

Donna Ashlee Tractors are driving through a village street strung with fairy lights They are blue and green and there are people lining the streets either side watching them passDonna Ashlee
The tractors will parade through four Kent villages

A convoy of tractors adorned in fairy lights will travel through Kent villages to raise money for the Air Ambulance Charity.

Weald of Kent Young Farmers Club is holding its annual event on Sunday from 17:00 GMT.

The 45 tractors will pass through the Wealden villages of Goudhurst, Cranbrook, Staplehurst and Marden.

Fran Vale, Kent community fundraiser at Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS), thanked those taking part and said it promised to be an "unforgettable evening".

Holland-Gladwish Photography A tractor with its cab covered in fairy lights and its wheels shining red. In a box on its front there is a light up snowman, Santa and reindeer and the landscape is blurred as if the tractor is moving quickly.Holland-Gladwish Photography
The tractors are decked with festive lights

Organiser Claire Eckley, who has an arable farm in Staplehurst, said it gave farmers "a huge boost" to see the community out supporting them.

"It's a torrid time to be a farmer at the moment," she said.

"The mood in the industry is as low as I have ever seen it so to have that affirmation from the community is really great."

She said an estimated 15,000 people turned out to watch last year, and that this year's event would be the third.

The route is planned to take two hours, with the tractors going through the villages at about 3mph (5kph) and faster outside of the villages.

Organisers said a tractor tracker would allow people to follow the tractors on their route on the evening, going live when the parade left the start point in Goudhurst.

Donations through the fundraising page will go to KSS, while bucket donations made on the evening will be divided between the air ambulance charity and Young Farmers Club.

Claire Eckley Andy Parks of Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Mark Brown Weald of Kent YFC Club Leader and Richard de Coverly of the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey & Sussex stand together and look at the camera smiling. Andy and Richard are in high vis clothing while Mark is wearing an elf costume with a high vis gilet over the top. There are fairy lights strung up in the background.Claire Eckley
The event will raise money for the Air Ambulance Charity

Ms Vale said that "the money raised from incredible events like this helps to save lives".

"We are so grateful to the amazing Weald of Kent Young Farmers and everyone involved in organising festive-themed fundraisers like this across Kent, Surrey and Sussex to support our lifesaving work this Christmas and help keep us ready to save lives," she added.

She said the event was "always a real spectacle" and she was sure that everyone taking part or watching was "going to have an unforgettable evening whilst supporting their local air ambulance charity".

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