A YOUNG farmer is in the running to be crowned Britain’s sexiest farmer.

Laura Bacon runs her grandfather’s farm with her mother and sister and has been part of Brentwood’s Young Farmers group for the last seven years.

The 26-year-old spends her days looking after her family’s cattle, sheep and pigs but has now reached the final ten in the competition, after being nominated by her friend Lily Rymil.

She said: “The first thing I knew about it was when I had a phone call saying that I had been long-listed in the competition. I was like ‘Lily, what have you done?”

Miss Bacon was then told she was a finalist in the competition, which is narrowed down by fashion-guru Gok Wan before a public vote decides the overall winner.

Miss Bacon, whose daily wardrobe consists of old jeans, wellies and a big woolly hat, said that many people struggle to believe that she is a farmer.

“When I go out on a night out and I’m all dressed up a lot of people don’t believe I’m a farmer, they are normally quite surprised,” she said.

“I think it’s mainly because I’m a girl but also when people think of a farmer they normally think of a burly man and his tractor.

“I’ve had to get my phone out on nights out before and show people photos of me at work in my old jeans and wellies to prove that I’m actually a farmer as they didn’t believe me.”

But while Laura, who lives in Rayne, near Braintree, is excited about the competition, she is also quite nervous as she hates having her photo taken.

She said: “I’m quite shy really, so it’s all a bit embarrassing really.

“I don’t really like having my photo taken on my own to be honest.

“But it is quite exciting and if you win you get a photoshoot and a new pair of wellies, which is great as I need a new pair!”

To vote for Laura visit www.fwi.co.uk/farm-life/britains-sexiest-farmer before January 30.

The winner will be announced on February 16.