Has anyone ever landed a Group A (or whatever they are called now) aeroplane in a field due to bad weather?
I have certainly landed in a few "rough strips", lakes (seaplane) and frozen lakes I knew, on both wheels and skis to prevent having to fly onward into deteriorating or unknown weather. I once landed an ultralight in a field due to fog enroute. But I do avoid unknown surfaces/areas for no good reason, and so far so good.
if you fly nearer that 500 ft to some walkers who had been hidden by a hedge while approaching an otherwise empty field
Those darn walkers, what nerve! I can just picture the Monty Python skit of walkers springing out of the hedge to take note of registrations of unsuspecting low flying planes [or galleons]!