BGT-WINNING FARMER URGES OTHERS TO SEEK MEDICAL HELP

Hugh Thomas, a sunflower farmer from Pembrokeshire, has urged fellow farmers to consult a doctor rather than dismiss health concerns. Thomas was part of the Hawkstone Farmers' Choir, a group assembled by Jeremy Clarkson, which won Britain's Got Talent in May. Before the victory, Thomas received a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and subsequently underwent a triple bypass operation. He said farmers routinely tell themselves symptoms will pass and "leave it until it's too late."

Thomas first noticed shortness of breath during physical exertion in February 2022, initially attributing the problem to a previous bout of Covid-19. He was advised to monitor his symptoms before his wife Rachel encouraged him to return for further tests, which led to the cardiovascular diagnosis. Cardiovascular disease covers conditions that narrow or block blood vessels and can lead to heart attacks, angina and strokes, according to the British Heart Foundation. Thomas has run the sunflower farm in Pembrokeshire alongside Rachel since 1981.

Thomas said he wanted to encourage farmers specifically to seek medical help when needed and not "hold back" as he had done previously. Rachel Thomas said most farmers she knew would delay visiting a doctor "unless their arm was hanging off." The Hawkstone Farmers' Choir's Britain's Got Talent win in May brought significant public attention to the farming community. Thomas's public appeal follows his own experience of delayed diagnosis, which he acknowledged could have had serious consequences.