Reuben Owen, star of Our Yorkshire Farm, has opened up about a terrifying experience with icy roads that forced him to call for help. The young farmer admitted he was panicked after a series of setbacks during the latest episode of Life in the Dales.
Reuben's Panic Button Moment
In Tuesday's episode (9th June), Reuben showcased his new digger to his girlfriend Jess and her father David. He revealed it featured a panic button, something he had never seen before. However, within moments, the button became necessary. As smoke started coming from the digger, Reuben confessed: "Is now a good time to press the panic button? I'm pretty panicked." He added: "That is not supposed to do that! I think I've broken it already."
Icy Roads Lead to Rescue Call
While waiting for an expert to fix the digger, Reuben attempted to continue with a pond project the next day. But a road closure forced him and Jess onto icy backroads that hadn't been gritted. The couple feared they had made the wrong choice. "The worst thing will be if we don't get up, is turning around," Reuben told Jess, before realizing the road was too icy to continue. After sliding on sheets of ice, they were forced to call for help.
Jess said: "It's bad, you can't just stop on ice, once you start skidding, you can't stop. Reuben put the handbrake on but the vehicle is still skidding, no control whatsoever." The narrator added: "They were lucky they didn't crash or go over the edge." Reuben shared: "I can't tell you how terrified I was."
A Challenging Start to the Year
After salvaging grit from the roadside, Jess feared: "This is really bad, I'm actually really worried." She added: "I don't usually get concerned but I'm concerned." They turned back and abandoned work for the day, but faced another issue as roads turned even icier. Reuben called his friend Sonny to rescue him, saying: "I need a hero that's happy to experience extreme cold and extreme peril." Sonny arrived with Reuben's brother Miles and a bag of grit. The narrator concluded: "It's been a challenging start to the new year, and Reuben hopes this is the last of it."
Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales airs Tuesdays at 8pm on 5.
