A FARMER from Basingstoke has been left ‘angry’ after a renewable energy group ‘mistakenly’ sprayed chemicals on his land, killing an area of natural habitat for bees and wildlife.

James Bromhead, who has a large solar farm owned by Octopus Energy Group, on the 18 acres of land he owns in Hill End Farm in Basingstoke has been left “lost for words” after contractors employed by the energy group sprayed a “broadleaf herbicide” on the field destroying wildflowers last week.

He said: “That plot of 18 acres has had a natural regeneration of wildflowers and those wildflowers are all-natural. I have had a real fight with them about making sure the flowers run the whole summer because the bees benefit, and we have got beehives just around the corner and we do a lot of work for bees."

SEE ALSO: Residents who live in a 'nightmare' block of flats say they 'do not feel safe' following 'antisocial behaviour' incidents

You can read the full story in this week’s edition of the Gazette. Also in this week's paper:

  • A man from Basingstoke is encouraging residents to become members of the stem cell donor register after he endured a long battle with blood cancer
  • The future of the Planet Ice rink in Basingstoke has been secured as a new sponsorship agreement has been announced
  • A dad from Basingstoke who was tricked by his ex-partner with a fake DNA test claiming his daughter was not his hopes to raise awareness so others don’t suffer the same agony
  • Residents who live at a block of flats in Basingstoke have said they “do not feel safe” following “antisocial behaviour” incidents and a lift that has been broken for weeks
  • A grandmother has blamed the Post Office for causing stress resulting in both her parents suffering a stroke after it accused her of stealing £36,000
  • Users of a Basingstoke park have slammed the borough council for introducing parking charges which were supported by just one person
  • An adventurer from Basingstoke is leaving for Greenland where he will undertake an unsupported 400-mile ski to raise money for a charity
  • Fewer than half of patients with breast cancer symptoms are being seen in hospital within two weeks following an urgent GP referral, the Gazette can reveal
  • A councillor has expressed concern and anger after a child was reportedly nearly hit by a car on Wednesday morning (May 4) outside a Basingstoke school
  • PLUS: All the latest from Basingstoke Magistrates' Court
  • Two pages of your letters to the editor
  • Pictures: Camera Club members share family snaps
  • Two pages of news from our communities
  • An eight-page puzzle special
  • Two pages of business news
  • Three pages of entertainment news
  • Four pages of sports news. And much more

READ MORE: 'Absolutely ludicrous': Shock after child reportedly nearly hit by car outside Basingstoke school

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