Lancaster lorry driver Danny’s an internet hit after Storm Ciara

A video of Danny Higgins taking animal food supplies across a flooded river to the storm-lashed hill farm of the celebrated author The Yorkshire Shepherdess has been viewed online tens of thousands of times.

Danny, a driver with animal feed supplier Carrs Billington, was en route to the sheep farm run by the shepherdess, Amanda Owen, and her husband Clive, when he found his way cut off by floods caused by Storm Ciara and melting snow from the Yorkshire Dales hills.

Ravenseat in Swaledale is one of the highest, remotest hill farms in England and they wanted to ensure they had feed supplies in before Storm Dennis hit.

After checking with the family that it would be safe to cross, Danny put his 32-tonne HGV into gear and cut through to the other side to make his delivery.

Amanda, who during Ciara had posted a video of her cattle trailer being washed downstream, shared the ‘Keep on trucking’ video on Twitter after telling Danny she was going to make him famous.

Danny’s video has now been viewed more than 60,000 times and has also been re-shared and brought in hundreds of comments.

One commenter said: “Those of us tucked up in our warm and dry homes, safe from Dennis and his menace, have so much to thank farmers and agricultural workers for throughout the year.”

For Danny, who drove snowploughs and gritters before joining Carrs Billington a year ago, it’s all part of the job.

He said: “Once I’d checked that it was safe, I just got in my cab and went for it. There was no drama, it was just another delivery to get through.”

Danny, who is based at Carrs Billington’s Lancaster depot, said he was stunned by reaction to the video and added: “All my friends and family have seen it and they keep asking for my autograph and saying they can’t talk to me anymore because I’m famous. You can’t even see that it’s me!”

Ryan Whyte, area sales manager with Carlisle-based Carrs Billington, paid tribute to the work of the company’s drivers.

He said: “They do an excellent job. There’s livestock in exposed areas and when they need feed, they need feed, that’s seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

“Whatever the weather - snow, gales, flooding - we always try and get through. That’s all part of the service.”