A young hero’s £25,000 digger was destroyed during a battle to save a ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’ village from a raging wildfire.
Self-employed 28-year-old digger owner Danny Wadman instinctively leapt into action when a tractor accidentally sparked a major wildfire.
Danny took his digger into the flames in a two-hour battle to create fire breaks and divert the blaze from his own and neighbouring properties at Mawgan Porth, Cornwall.
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It is often described as ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’ because of the many celebrities it attracts.
Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett built a major clifftop eco-home in the village, while action star Jason Statham is reported to own property in the area.
Despite concerns from his family and advice from fire officers, Danny continued as his digger was repeatedly engulfed by flames.
Both front tyres exploded in the heat, a cab window shattered, hydraulic hoses melted and, eventually, the machine was left without steering or brakes before the front bucket detached itself.
The engine temperature gauge had also been off the dial, as reported by Need To Know.
Two fire officers shadowed Danny despite the danger and doused him with water to stop him catching fire.
After creating hundreds of yards of fire breaks, his efforts paid off, with three major tourist and camping grounds, mostly wooded and in the line of fire, saved.
Danny praised the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service and said they did not have access to earth-moving equipment or the in-depth knowledge of the land in his valley.
Sadly, the ground worker’s digger was so badly damaged it has been written off.
He paid around £25,000 for it.
He said: “I was out there fighting the fire for a fair while.
“But the digger did get very damaged.
“It’s pretty much a write off.”
He added he hoped his insurance firm will cover the costs.
Dramatic video showed the huge wall of flame being fanned by strong winds as Mawgan Porth Golf Club’s fairways and surrounding heathlands.
At the time, a spokesperson for nearby Merlin Farm Holiday Cottages Cornwall revealed the fire had started from “one spark from a tractor topping a field, after hitting a stone”.
The spokesperson added: “Just fields away, and within half an hour it led to a full evacuation.
“It’s a stark reminder of just how vulnerable we are, and how quickly things can change.”
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