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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Lottie Gibbons

What it's like living in the house in the middle of the M62

The M62 is one of Britain's busiest roads.

Connecting Liverpool with Manchester and Leeds, the route has six lanes of traffic.

But in the middle of the motorway, two worlds collide.

Perched near the summit is Stott Hall Farm - more commonly known as the house in the middle of the M62.

The home dates back to 1737, making it much older than the M62, which was built in the 1960s.

But despite the wind, traffic and close proximity to the fast-flowing lanes, for farmer Paul Thorp, there is nowhere better.

Appearing on Channel 4's show 'The Pennies: Backbone of Britain' Paul explained why he moved to the farm.

He said: "I came here as a 22-year-old lad who was mad about farming.

"To get an opportunity to take on a farm this size was once in a lifetime, so it's my home now. It's just everything."

While it may look different to most farms, Paul says his day to day life is the same as anywhere else.

He said: "It's just like any other farm really. You've got to know your land, know your job and plan around it.

Paul Thorp moved here when he was 22-years-old (Channel 4)

"The only thing is we've got six lanes of traffic through ours."

"It throws up its challenges, it's very unique."

On the show, Paul was making sure his animals were kept well away from the traffic.

But he needed the help of dry stone wallers to help repair his farm.

Paul explained: "As my grandad said the stone in Yorkshire were put underneath Yorkshire to be used on top of Yorkshire.

"There's nothing else that would last, if you put a concrete wall up here, it would just erode in no time."

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