Two people suffered injuries after their vehicle crashed into a field after skidding on mud, a court heard.

Farm worker Anthony Williams admitted depositing mud on the road causing injury or danger to another road user when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, June 22.

The court heard that on November 26 last year the 31-year-old was driving a tractor carrying manure in a trailer along a straight stretch of the A490 between Llanfyllin and Bwlch y Cibau. The mud had been carried from a nearby field, and some had spilled and compacted onto the road surface.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said a vehicle travelling along the A490 that day had lost control and swerved across the road and into a hedgerow and field. People inside the vehicle suffered injuries such as lower back pain and a cut to the forehead.

Mrs Tench added that Williams told a police officer that he was aware of his obligation to sweep the manure off the road, and that vehicles travelling over the mud would compact the surface.

Owain Jones, defending, said Williams had never been in trouble before and that he has a good character.

Mr Jones said: “He sees his greatest mistake was not putting signs on the road to warn drivers to slow down.”

Magistrates heard that the collision happened around 20 minutes after Williams had completed one load and gone into a field.

“It is most regrettable, most unfortunate,” Mr Jones said. “He has taken responsibility by admitting guilt today.

“There was very little time to do anything about it. In many ways the deposit was unavoidable but where you deposit mud you need to go about cleaning it as soon as possible.”

Mr Jones added: “My client carried out the work on the understanding that the boss had put signs out. His error is that they weren’t there.”

Chair of magistrates’ Stephen Pembroke told Williams that he would fine him £1,000 “given the level of mud on the road and the accident and severity of it, and that people were slightly injured”.

For his early guilty plea, the fine given to Williams, of Lon yr Ywen, Pontrobert, was reduced to £666, and he was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £66 victim surcharge.