Teen tractor driver 'caught on phone'

A teenager has been summoned to court over claims he both drove a tractor underage and while using his phone.

Lincolnshire Police witnessed the 16-year-old allegedly driving the vehicle on a road not suitable for the weight of the hay bales it was carrying.

The force also said he was too young to be driving such a heavy load.

Insp Paul Baxter, from Lincolnshire Police's Rural Police Unit (RPU), said it was rare to see examples of bad driving in the local farming community.

He told BBC Radio Lincolnshire that those aged 16 and over were able to drive certain tractors but for loads that heavy, the driver needed to be 17 and hold the appropriate licence.

He said: "If anything comes off that load, it could hit another road user, cause them to swerve, the possibilities are catastrophic.

"People have been seriously injured and have lost their lives due to insecure loads."

The vehicle was spotted on Tuesday on the A15 near Market Deeping.

Insp Baxter added that during harvest season "farmers do work incredibly hard and do long hours", but everyone should still ensure their loads were secure.

The boy has been issued a court summons and if he is found guilty of the offences, he could face a fine and points on his licence.

Insp Baxter said it was the responsibility of the teenager and not the farm he worked at to ensure he was not breaking the law and that loads were strapped securely and correctly.

"To put the person in that position is irresponsible, however every driver, no matter what age they are, they [must] have a licence [and] passed a test. "

He added that the "vast majority" of farmers in the community were "responsible and "they will load their vehicles correctly".

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