Police say vandals have targeted the BBC presenter’s childhood farm in Bolton
Sara Cox grew up on the farm(Image: ADAM GERRARD/Daily Mirror)
Patrols are being ramped up to ‘nip in the bud’ a wave of attacks on the Bolton farm where BBC presenter Sara Cox grew up.
Greater Manchester Police says it has been called out to a spate of incidents at Grundy Fold farm, in Little Lever, during evenings and weekends.
Ahead of the summer holidays, officers have been urging parents to speak to their children about the issue.
The farm is owned by Sara’s dad Leonard Cox, 85, and is where the BBC Radio 2 presenter lived as a child.
A GMP spokesperson said: “We have had a number of reports regarding youths causing criminal damage at Grundy Fold farm in the evenings and weekends.
“We would like to nip this in the bud before the summer holidays. If you are aware that your child hangs around this location then please discourage them.
“Further patrols will be made around the farm due to the remoteness and vulnerability of the location.”
In response to the message, residents took to social media to share their concern, with one saying ‘they should be forced to do community service’.
Sara Cox(Image: David Parry/PA Media Assignments)
The farm has been the target of vandals in the past. A fire was started at the site back in 2019.
At the time, Sara spoke out against the ‘gang of young idiots’ on social media at the time.
She said: “Huge thanks to @FireBolton crew for helping my dad when a gang of young idiots set fire to his haylage, destroying it.
“Farms aren’t playgrounds for bored kids – police haven’t been able to help, struggling to find a solution.”
She said that she just wanted her dad and his property to be kept safe.
Speaking on ‘Table Manners’ podcast hosted by Jessie and Lennie Ware this week, Sara spoke of her dad ‘still farming now’.
She said: “He farms Hereford cattle – brown and white ones – they are beautiful very kind cows. His cows have a great life they have a high welfare which has always been really important to him.”
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She revealed his mobility ‘isn’t great’ after a bull stepped on his foot 20 years ago.
Sara said: “My dads mobility isn’t great – long story short he had a bull called Ferrari that stepped on his foot a few years ago… He didn’t want to show that the bull had stood on his foot so he tried to style it out a little bit.
“Because he is a farmer, he didn’t get it looked at or sorted so now he just hobbles around.”
Sara said her brother Robert, who helps her dad, calls him a ‘doorstep farmer’ as he shouts things for him to do from the ledge.