A woman has taken over as chairman of the Wiltshire National Farmers Union.

She is Denise Plummer who lives at Leaze Farm, Stanton St Quintin, near Chippenham.

And after her election Mrs Plummer said she had no illusions about the challenges that lie ahead of her.

"Agriculture is very depressed at the moment, with farm incomes at their lowest in real terms since the 1930s," she said.

"There may be opportunities for the future. However I am aware that many of our members are just too busy just coping from day to day to look ahead, especially as many have had to lay off staff in the past few years.

"The NFU itself is also undergoing change. Not only have we had to sell off Agriculture House in Devizes, but from the end of this year NFU central region will disappear and we will become part of the south west.

"It is important that as an organisation we do not lose touch with our grass root members. I shall make it my priority to ensure that their views count when NFU policy decisions are made, so long as they contact me."

Denise, and her husband Richard, have two daughters and Leaze Farm has been in the family since 1957.