Shepherdess reveals the weight of responsibility on family farm.

A DENBIGHSHIRE shepherdess spoke of the weight of responsibility she felt for running the family farm when she appeared on Carol Vorderman's new TV series.

Ffion Hooson was just a teenager when she took over the 180-acre beef and sheep farm near Denbigh in 2018 after dad Huw suffered a stroke.

Last year she took to Twitter to express her frustration at the unrelenting demands of work, often in terrible weather.

As well as running the farm with brother Rhys, she works as a drover at

St Asaph market and is a relief milker on a nearby dairy farm.

TV producers for Carol Vorderman's Closer To Home series got in touch after Llanfairfechan farmer Gareth Wyn Jones put forward her name as a potential interviewee.

The BBC One Wales show reflects on how women's roles have changed since Carol's childhood.

Ffion, who turns 21 this week, appeared on episode one on January 5 - just two days after Gareth was profiled on BBC One's Countryfile programme.

"I got on really well with [Carol]," said Ffion. "I showed her the sheep and she fed the calves - I think I taught her a bit!"

Following her progress with pride has been Sian Edwards, Ffion's former lecturer at Coleg Cambria Llysfasi, Ruthin.

"Ffion is also a determined and successful young woman," she said.

"She is an inspiration and role model to not just women in agriculture, but her peers as well. I have no doubt that, with this step-by-step approach, she will continue to make leaps forward each year."

Since taking an active role in the farm business at 18, Ffion has increased the sheep flock and created a new fixed handling system to boost efficiency.

Studying at Llysfasi gave her the confidence - particularly when her father was ill - to do the work necessary to keep the family farm operational, as well as learning more about the value of marketing.

"Had I not learnt machinery skills in college, I would have struggled,"

said Ffion. "And marketing in agriculture is crucial because, after all, we are creating and nurturing a product.

"What I learnt at the college and from the network of farmers locally has really helped me and I'm thankful for that."

Another "inspiring" former student singled out by Llysfasi is Elin Protheroe, who works part-time on her family's beef and sheep farm in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys.

Now an HND student at Newtown College, she too is "blazing a trail" for young woman farmers, said Sian.