Meet Olly Harrison, the farmer behind Liverpool's Christmas Tractor Convoy

Local farmer Olly Harrison is known to many across the region for his phenomenal charity work.

The Tarbock native is the mastermind behind Liverpool's Christmas Tractor Convoy, a new annual tradition that sees hundreds line the streets to raise money for charity.

Even though the convoy has dominated the holidays in recent years, his charity work can be traced back almost a decade to an equally colourful event.

You can donate to the Christmas convoy here.

Christmas Tractor Convoy announces full route for 2023

In 2016, after an unfortunate run-in with some hungry rabbits eating up his crops, Olly decided to plant 75,000 sunflower seeds in their stead, inspired by a trip to Ukraine.

Once they bloomed, a decision was made to sell the flowers for £1 each with all money raised donated directly to Liverpool Sunflowers Cancer Care Centre. Olly previously told the ECHO: "I started this campaign but the charity didn’t know anything about it.

"By 10am the following day we had raised £500 and the total now stands at just over £4,000. They rang me to say how pleased they were and depending on how well this goes I could do the same next year and even make a sunflower maze allowing a charity to look after it and take the proceeds - that is the end goal.”

The success of the sunflowers grew into other avenues but kept charity at its core. Olly went on to continue his sunflower planting over the years, donating ticket sales to the farm NHS charities and its charitable partners during covid. He added: "I've been looked after by the NHS, I have a pre-existing health condition and I admire people who want to be doctors, nurses and other roles in the NHS and their hard work."

Kids were also invited to admire the fields with a maze set up