WATCH: Nigel Farage gets hit in the face by a tree in Sheffield

Nigel Farage has been hit by a tree - while on the Vote Leave campaign trail in Sheffield.
Nigel Farage after his close encounter with a tree in Sheffield. (Photo: PA).Nigel Farage after his close encounter with a tree in Sheffield. (Photo: PA).
Nigel Farage after his close encounter with a tree in Sheffield. (Photo: PA).

The Ukip leader chuckled his way through a close encounter with foliage as he was forced to take swift evasive action to avoid low-hanging branches on his open-top campaign bus in Chapeltown.

Mr Farage was standing on the top deck of his purple Daimler double-decker, which was crammed with media and supporters, when it ran into trees just north of Sheffield.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Diving for cover, he found the whole episode hilarious, shouting "only in Ukip, only in Ukip" and was still chuckling as he said: "Wonderful."

The bus had just left Thorpe Hesley Cricket Club where it struggled to get out of the car park due to the amount of people on board.

Mr Farage continued to stand on the top deck as the bus headed into the centre of Chapeltown, and warned photographers travelling backwards in front of him with cries of "more branches".

As the route opened out, he said: "We took out a big branch yesterday in that village we went into."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Moments later, Mr Farage was in full campaigning swing, extolling the virtues of Brexit over the speakers on the 40-year-old bus.

"Come and join the Brexit tour," he said. "It'll only take three weeks of your time. We'll have a wonderful time. We've got a well-stocked bar."

He said to one man as the tour passed the railway station: "Are you for Brexit, sir?"

"Bloody am," came the reply.

Mr Farage said: "Very good. That's a proper Yorkshire answer."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And he shouted to one heckler walking his dog on the pavement below the double-decker: "You vote for Mr Cameron."

The man yelled back: "I will do. I hate him but I'll vote for him. I'll vote to stop in, I shan't vote for Cameron."

Social media users were quick to point out the irony of Mr Farage being attacked by foliage in Sheffield - a city which has seen a furious row over a council programme to fell roadside trees.

Last month, the High Court dismissed a move by campaigners to halt a programme of tree felling across Sheffield.

The city council is felling hundreds of trees it says are dead, diseased or a danger.

Others wags on social media pointed out that Mr Farage appeared to have been assailed by the "Leaves".