03 Sep 2026
A Harpenden farmer who was told there was a 75 per cent chance he would never walk again after being crushed by hay bales has spoken of his determination to return to full fitness.
Will Dickinson hopes his story will inspire others to prioritise their wellbeing as he supports the NFU’s work to promote farm safety.
On June 20, Will was working alone loading hay bales onto a trailer on his mixed livestock and arable family farm when the far side of the trailer became unbalanced.
As he pulled the strap over, three bales, weighing a combined 1,500kg – the equivalent of an average male hippopotamus – landed on him.
Will suffered 12 rib fractures, eight spinal fractures and a fractured pelvis.
The sixth-generation farmer said: “I didn’t feel much pain at the time. I just thought I’d get these bales off me and crack on with work.
“It was only later that I discovered how bad the injuries were and the impact they would have on me.”
While trapped under the hay bales, Will was able to reach for his mobile phone and call for help, and was subsequently taken by air ambulance to The Royal London Hospital, where he was treated for six weeks.
He revealed: “I was told at the hospital there was a 75 per cent chance I would never walk again, which was a huge shock.
“I went through some very dark periods in those days after the accident.
“The thought of not being able to walk or care for myself for the rest of my life was devastating.”
Following two successful operations on his back and pelvis, Will is back home and feeling positive about his future.
Thanks to the prompt treatment in the field from both the farm staff who attended in the first case and the skills of the medical teams he is now expected to make a full recovery.
He is now focusing on building up his strength and a physiotherapy programme is being prepared.
Will has two metal rods in his back to keep him upright and he uses a frame to walk.
He said: “I’ve given myself a target of March next year to be back to how I was before the accident. I’m confident I will get there.
“The care I received from the paramedics and from everyone at the hospital was amazing – it is now up to me.”
He said lessons can be learned from his experience: “I was doing a job I’ve done hundreds of times. In hindsight I should have gone around to check if the bales were safely resting on the trailer.
“Farming can be a very dangerous job, with lots of pressure, often working alone for long hours, but you should never take your safety for granted.
“I feel very lucky and I know things could have turned out a lot worse for me.”
His wife of 33 years, Jan, spoke of the heartache she, their sons Fred and Jack and daughter Millie went through worrying about his future. She reinforced the farm safety message in the hope of saving other families from such turmoil.
“It was really shocking to see Will laying there being treated by paramedics. I could immediately see he had serious injuries.
“He had a blood transfusion on the field, and he was struggling to breathe.
“Will is so careful but these accidents can happen to anybody. I urge people to take extra care and prioritise their safety.”
Jan highlighted how having a charged mobile phone on him was crucial both on this occasion, and back in 1998 when Will was trapped under dual tractor wheels.
“If Will hadn’t been able to call for help and be treated quickly, his injuries could have been much worse.”
Will is a well-known character in the farming community. He has previously served as NFU Regional Board chair for East Anglia and NFU Hertfordshire chair, and he is currently chair of the Hertfordshire County Show.
He is known throughout the country for playing a leading role in the NFU’s campaigning for action on fly-tipping.
The Dickinsons said they are hugely grateful for the support they have received from the farming community.
Jan said: “Farmers have been calling up, offering to help with harvest and to help in any way they can.
“We have been blown away by everyone’s support.”
The latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive show that there were 29 farm-related deaths across Great Britain in the year to March 2026, an increase of six from the previous year.
Around 8,000 farm workers suffer non-fatal injuries in Britain every year, with many serious and some life-changing.
The NFU is constantly promoting farm safety, holding safety training events on farms across the country every year.
NFU Hertfordshire county adviser Freya Samuel-Smith said: “It is great to see Will is making good progress in his recovery.
“I thank Will and his family for sharing their story and helping the NFU to highlight the importance of farm safety.
“We encourage everyone to take the time to assess the risks of any job they are doing and remove those risks where they can.
“Our message is clear, one serious injury or death on farm is one too many and no job is worth risking your life for.”
