Brendon Hills farmer, cattle judge and highly successful breeder Lena Lewis spent lockdown writing ’In at the Deep End!’ My Life Story’ - and now she is being hailed as a new James Herriot.

Lena was a Swedish city girl but, despite her parents’ misgivings, she was persuaded to move to Somerset by her then fiancé, Dave.

They borrowed from the bank to buy 100-acre Bowden Farm - rundown, isolated, 1,000ft up in the hills and in need of basic repairs.

She said: "There was no mains electricity, only a generator, and that was only capable of doing one job at a time. If you had the lights on and did some ironing, the lights dimmed."

Surprisingly, Dave and Lena were ’completely ignorant’ of the complexities of dairy farming.

But, in time, they turned Bowden Farm, Brompton Ralph, into a thriving business, breeding the renowned Dalena Jersey cattle, winning at Dunster Show, Royal Shows and European Dairy events.

As president of the Jersey Cattle Society UK, Lena travelled widely as a qualified judge of Jerseys, perhaps most notably in Kenya, and she devotes a fascinating chapter to the history and place of those beautiful beasts in the African country.

Dave and Lena have two sons but they also became foster parents to troubled teenagers. Lena also worked for a while as a wine representative - so, as she says, there was never a dull moment.

When Dave’s health failed, they made the hard decision to sell their beloved Jerseys. Lena changed direction and, after a couple of years as a deputy manager at St Margaret’s Hospice shop in Taunton, she took over as manager of the hospice shop in Wiveliscombe, three miles from Bowden Farm where Lena and Dave now keep sheep.

English is not Lena’s first language, which lends no small amount of character and charm to her writing style, as well as charm to the book as a whole.

She has already received many positive comments, including: "I have just finished your wonderful book and enjoyed every page. Dare I say Brompton Ralph’s own James Herriot."

* In at the Deep End! is available at Wiveliscombe Community Centre or phone Lena on 01984 623489.