Farmer Gary Mello showed true Christmas spirit yesterday when he wrote off hundreds of dollars of damage caused to one of his crops.

Mr. Mello was picking peppers in a field off Frog Lane when he saw bulldozer tracks stretching across one of his carrott fields and spotted the machine working on the field's edge.

It was carrying out a Highways Department scheme to enlarge an embankment that was threatening to wipe out crops worth $6,000.

But thanks to quick action officials from the Agriculture Department a disaster was averted and quick solution found -- although it still ruined some of Mr. Mello's crops. "I am prepared to write-off the damage done because I have an interest in working with Government departments,'' said Mr. Mello.

Farmer shrugs off damage The incident happened yesterday lunchtime on land between Frog Lane and the new Cedarbridge school.

Work is being carried out by the Highways Department to enlarge an area used by water trucks for parking.

An area of arable land had been staked out to mark where an embankment would be extended -- affecting Mr. Mello's land.

However Kevin Monkman, assistant director of Agriculture and Fisheries, said the land was protected from development because it was zoned as arable.

"I don't know how this happened, but I spoke to the highways engineers and I think we have found a solution and the work will not encroach on the farmland,'' said Mr. Monkman.

Photos by Tony Cordeiro CLOSE LOOK -- Farmer Gary Mello, above, inspects the tracks left in his field by a bulldozer, above right.