Get set for the festive tractor convoys

The spectacle of tractor convoys travelling through towns and villages while covered in fairy lights, decorations and inflatable snowmen has taken off - with events planned across the West Midlands up to and beyond Christmas.

Farmers stage displays to raise money for various causes and charities, and among this year's beneficiaries are Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital and Midlands Air Ambulance.

Emily Jones, from the farming mental health charity We are Farming Minds, said: "It is a sight to behold, especially if you're not within the farming community."

She said the convoys were all about creating not just a display, but also camaraderie as communities turned out to watch.

Tractor runs planned this weekend include displays by Sheepy Ploughing Association in Warwickshire on both days and the Oswestry Illuminated Tractor Run in Shropshire on Saturday.

At the Sheepy tractor run, farmer Martin Brandreth said most drivers took part in the event every year.

The first day of the Sheepy run goes through North Warwickshire, and the second day takes in Bedworth, Nuneaton and Coventry.

Other tractor runs taking place in the run-up to Christmas include convoys in Ledbury, Hereford, Ross-on-Wye and Lichfield.

The Coombes's Festive Tractor Run on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border goes through Bradford Estates and Brewood and Coven, just miles from Wolverhampton on 29 December.

Farmers Will Godwin and Harvey Shaw have organised their first convoy in Bromsgrove on Sunday.

They are supporting We are Farming Minds and the Midlands Air Ambulance.

"It's been a lot easier than we thought," Mr Shaw said. He put a message out to farmers on WhatsApp and Facebook, and found sponsors so they could raise as much money as possible.

He said they wanted to support the mental health charity because farmers could get isolated and "it can be quite tough being out in the field on your own" and they wanted to do their part.

The idea was to provide "a bit of entertainment", he said.

"I've been on quite a few tractor runs in the last couple of years and the amount of people that come out, stand outside their houses and put money in the bucket – it gets everybody in the Christmas spirit."

Millie Trenholm, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Tractor runs began back in the 1970s and had absolutely nothing to do with Christmas.

Vintage tractor road-runs were held throughout the year, often in spring or summer, to celebrate farming heritage and show classic tractors.

In the mid-80s, organised tractor runs became more common and an early key figure was Ashley Godsall, who organised a run in 1985 that grew quickly and raised money for charities.

His idea inspired farmers to organise tractor runs as a way to celebrate Christmas together - they added everything from fairy lights to tinsel and bows.

From there, events grew into a full-blown festive phenomenon all across the country.

Leominster deputy mayor Allan Williams said the town would see about 70 vehicles on a seven-mile route on Saturday, in a tractor run in aid of Leominster First Responders and We are Farming Minds.

"They will be gloriously decorated," he said. "Hereford was brilliant last Saturday. We hope to follow suit."

He said the event had returned by popular demand, adding: "The young and the not-so-young will be out in droves, loving it."

Stewards would be collecting cash with 28 buckets during the event, he said.

"We just hope the weather's reasonable – I think the forecast is fairly good – and we also hope everyone enjoys it."

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