Bruce Silcock 's neighbours are less than excited about his plans to become a millionaire. Bad enough, they think, to live near his small fishing bait farm in Essex, with its pits of maggots and stench of rotting meat, but now Bruce wants to start maggot production on an industrial scale.
The Maggot Mogul follows Bruce as he seeks planning permission to build the biggest maggot farm in the world. He explains that the maggot is an environmentally useful creature - not only does it neatly dispose of the huge amounts of dead and diseased meat generated by factory farming, but Bruce has now discovered that the waste it produces makes an excellent organic fertiliser.
This is a timely discovery considering that this country is facing an environmental crisis over what we should do with the animal carcases left over from the factory farm industry. As far as Bruce is concerned, he believes this is his chance to make a lot of money. All he has to do now is run the gauntlet of reluctant planning committees and protesting locals before he can achieve his dream.
Michael Elphick narrates the extraordinary story of one man's battle to persuade his local council-and his neighbours - to appreciate and respect what must be the world's most unusual environmental saviour.
Producer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Series producerTim Haines
DR MARK PORTER page 8