Danny Thorpe, 79, of Kenfield Farm, Clenchwarton is on trial at King's Lynn Crown Court, accused of failing to comply with stop notices issued by the Environment Agency and breaching a restriction order not to enter land at Clockcase Road in the village.

Phil Henderson, an enforcement team leader with the Environment Agency, said it was concerned about the potential for fire on Thorpe's land, where waste activities were being carried out.

He said it had written to Thorpe prior to the blaze on May, 2022, which required 10 appliances to bring under control, telling him not to have bonfires on his property. 

After the fire, Mr Henderson said the EA issued a legal notice to stop burning waste, which was personally delivered to Thorpe's farm.

Smoke billows from the fire in May, 2022 (Image: Connie Joannah)

It warned failing to comply was an offence and the agency would collect evidence if it believed the order was being breached, including possibly by using drones.

Thorpe returned the stop notice with a note saying it lacked detail and was therefore invalid.

He also returned a covering letter, writing "inappropriate" and "incorrect" on it. 

Earlier Thorpe, who is representing himself, addressed the jury as the second day of his trial got under way.

"I should not be in this court today," he said. "I'm very ill because of what they've done to me.

"As far as I'm concerned, this whole issue resembles what they did to the sub postmasters, I can't cope with it. I'm not well enough, I'm simply not well enough."

Farmer Danny Thorpe (Image: Newsquest)

Thorpe denies failing to comply with 16 stop notices issued by the Environment Agency on dates between September 1, 2022 and December 19, 2023.

Two relate to the burning of waste, while the remainder relate to the tipping of waste.

Thorpe also denies breaching a restriction order not to enter land at Clockcase Road at Clenchwarton.

The trial, before Recorder Michael Turner, is expected to last for two weeks.