Farmer defends his turf

WUHAN - A Chinese farmer has resorted to the use of shock tactics to defend his right to land ownership by using improvised rockets to expel demolition corps that have threatened to evict him for the construction of commercial buildings.

Since February, Yang Youde, a 56-year-old farmer living on the outskirts of Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, has foiled two attempts to flatten his hut by using rocket-like weapons he has made himself.

"I shot only over their heads to frighten them, " said Yang. "I didn't want to cause any injuries."