'Not enough thank yous' to community who rallied as fire break out next to High Peak farm

The wildfire started on land behind Rock Bank Farm on Monday, August 3, with a strong wind driving the flames rapidly in the direction of the farm.

Owner Grace Leighton-Carr said: “I was out with my mum and my little boy and we heard this noise almost like a small explosion and we think it was a bush catching fire.”

Grace rang the fire brigade but was told they had already been called from someone further up the valley who had seen it start.

At the time she had two helpers Alex Derbyshire-Towle and Andy Mycock, on the farm tidying up some trees.

They went to investigate and found the blaze was heading straight for the farm and was only 100m away.

They decided to start cutting the grass back and make a fire break.

Grace said: “They were amazing, they put the message out on social media and people just started turning up.

“I don’t own a trailer as I’m just a little small holding for rescue animals but we have sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese and rescue sheep who had just arrived and we needed to get them to safety.

“People brought trailers and big plastic tankers we could fill with water and dampen the grass.”

Grace, who recently hosted the second Whaley Fest on the farm, said there was a fire plan in place should anything happen - so people knew what needed to be done.

“I was so worried at how fast the fire was spreading. If it kept coming this way, what about people’s homes and the animals? There were huge haybales staked up which if they would have gone up it would been really bad as they were close to people’s homes.

“So we had to act fast and people were moving these huge bales by hand just to get them out of the path of the fire.”

Grace says she has taught her ducks, chickens and geese to reappear from wherever they are on the farm and go to the shed when she calls them

She did this to contain them and then they were taken off the farm thanks to a woman going through chemo who wanted to help.

The larger animals were transported to safety on other farms.

“I can’t believe the community rallied around like it did.

“People who are farmers, people who aren’t farmers – everybody turned up and was ready to help.

“It was amazing. It was so emotional and I just couldn’t believe the outpouring of love even by people I’ve never met.

“There aren’t enough thanks you in the world to properly thank everyone - you have saved my farm and the animals and I will always be grateful.”

All the animals were safely moved out and returned to the farm on Tuesday and Wednesday after the fire service - who Grace described as phenomenal - gave the all clear.

She now bring everyone who helped her together for a thank-you picnic.

She said: “It’s not much but it’s the least I can do, so on Saturday August, 29 bring your own picnic and a bottle of wine — nothing fancy, just good company and I get to go round and thank everyone who gave up their time at the drop of a hat to come and help.

“I am beyond grateful and there are times when you question is it worth it, am I making the right choice but seeing the community come together reinforces not just my faith in humanity but also that this is where I’m meant to be.”

She also thanked Nestle for donating water to the festival which was given to the volunteers and Blossoms for being on hand to donate cakes and sweet treats to volunteers.