The Field of Dreams Community Farm at Thurston in Suffolk has been boosted by an unusual gift – 50 plastic portable toilets.

East Anglian Daily Times: Steve Payne, chief executive of Davlav, which has donated 50 plastic portable toilets to the Field of Dreams community farm at Thurston, Suffolk. Picture: IAN COLESteve Payne, chief executive of Davlav, which has donated 50 plastic portable toilets to the Field of Dreams community farm at Thurston, Suffolk. Picture: IAN COLE (Image: DavLav)

The quirky donation, by Essex specialist facilities company Davlav, was recently given to the Suffolk-based community project.

Mark Byford, who runs the farm, said it was the "most unusual" donation they had been given - and potentially the most valuable.

"It is a great boost for the farm," he said.

"We have had some pretty cool donations, but this is the most unusual, and potentially the most valuable."

East Anglian Daily Times: Gary Spencer and Mark Byford at the Field of Dreams Farm at Thurston.. Picture: GREGG BROWNGary Spencer and Mark Byford at the Field of Dreams Farm at Thurston.. Picture: GREGG BROWN

Building materials, fencing, poly tunnels, animals and a tractor have been given to the community farm in the past.

Mr Byford added: "Things like this keep the farm going. It could mean potentially £8,000 to £10,000 coming in over the next few months.

"The toilets arrive already empty, of course, and we clean them before selling them. We have sold nine already, to other small farms, and stable yards and a lorry park at Harwich."

Davlav is a major supplier of portable toilets for construction sites across the country from its Essex base.

Steve Payne, chief executive of Davlav, said: "We are always looking at ways of helping charities and good causes and of course we are extremely conscious about plastic to landfill and ways we can minimise this in the construction industry.

"So, with a bit of lateral thinking, instead of decommissioning units, we were able to give them a new lease of life and help a community project raise money whilst giving people an opportunity to be part of the project. It's great to see."

The first batch of 20 toilets have already arrived at the Thurston site.

A couple will be retained to be used by volunteers and visitors.

The community farm was established four years ago and has been run by Mark Byford for the past two years.

He said: "We have 150 volunteers keeping the place running from a wide range of backgrounds, and from retired people to teenagers."

The 12-acre site includes animals, goats, pigs and sheep and poultry. There are poly tunnels for growing salads and outside traditional vegetable plots, with the produce sold in the farm shop.