A farmer has been left devastated after nearly 300 of his sheep drowned in a sudden flash flood.
Kiyan Freedom lost almost half his flock when a river burst its banks.
The former barrister – who fled Iran years ago – had only started farming in April after being diagnosed with cancer two years ago.
READ MORE: Water company slammed as British surfing event ‘abruptly’ shut down due to SEWAGE spill
He hoped working the land would aid his recovery.
The Afon Gwendraeth Fawr river flooded the fields at Pontyates, near Llanelli, last Thursday (4 Sept).
The freak flood has now wiped out his dreams, killing 272 sheep and lambs in minutes and leaving him and his wife, Tetiana, more than £60,000 out of pocket.
“I don’t know what to do anymore,” Kiyan, 37, told Need To Know.
“People advised me to start farming when I became ill.
“But now I only have half my flock left.
“The flood has taken everything from us.”
Kiyan described the moment the waters surged into his fields.
He said: “The water was over 10ft deep – we had to dive to rescue our sheep and lambs.
“With our bare hands, we rescued the animals one by one, in deep water.
“Within just a couple of minutes, water rushed into our fields.
“It was a massive flood that our neighbours had never seen before in this area.”
“In just a short time, the water swept away 272 of our sheep and lambs – our entire livelihood, our hard work and our hope for the future.
“This isn’t just about animals – it’s about our way of life, our family’s hope and the dreams we built together.
“We are trying to stay strong, but the truth is, we can’t get through this alone.
“The rising flood waters swept away part of our hearts, which has left us devastated both emotionally and financially.
“This loss is overwhelming, as our livestock was not just our livelihood but also a huge part of our life and future.”
At the time of writing, a GoFundMe appeal to help the couple had raised £1,800 towards its £60,000 target.
READ MORE: Brave dad pins down suspect after hearing desperate cop screaming for back-up
