Farmer puts up billboard describing his village as a ‘murderous, lawless and godforsaken place’

A furious farmer has refused to take down a billboard slamming his village as the ‘nastiest in Worcestershire’. 

Carl Powell, 75, put the sign up on an old grain dryer and described his village of Peopleton as a ‘murderous, lawless, godforsaken place’. 

He put it up after villagers refused to approve his plans to put a new track on his 100 acre farm. 

Mr Powell said the refusal followed complaints from neighbours years earlier when he wanted to build eight new homes. 

Carl Powell, 75, put the sign up criticising the village of Peopleton in Worcestershire on an old grain dryer

He was fined £90 for the sign after residents reported him to the police but has refused to take it down.  

He described the complaints to parish councillors from villagers against his new track as the last straw. 

He told the Sun: ‘The people in this village will object to anything — it’s pathetic. They put their own self interest before anything.

‘Several years ago I wanted to build some affordable housing on my land to help the less well-off but they petitioned to stop it.’

Police fined Mr Powell £90 after ruling that the sign was likely to cause ‘harassment, alarm or distress. 

Mr Powell was fined £90 for the sign after residents (pictured is the church in Peopleton) reported him to the police but has refused to take it down

However, the farmer wasn’t cowed by the fine and is challenging it. 

Mr Powell also insisted he would not be pulling the billboard down despite the anger of his neighbours. 

He added: ‘If I’m going to be arrested for telling the truth, bring it on. I’ve nothing to hide.’