Somerset mum takes up ancient skill of scything - and loses 40 pounds

• Andi Rickard speaks of how traditional farming skill has transformer her life

A woman from Wellington says her life was transformed when she took up the ancient farming skill of scything.

Scything is a form of grass cutting and is done using a long handle with a curved, sharpened blade.

Andi Rickard first took up the technique when she moved to a new house with an overgrown paddock in Somerset.

After trying a lawnmower, a trimmer and other various pieces of equipment, Andi started using a scythe to trim the wildlife around her home.

Since then she has become UK champion and even represented Britain at the World Championships in Austria in 2019.

Andi says it has also been good for her mental and physical health.

She said: "Before I started scything I had three small children. I had three in two years and I was really struggling to lose the baby weight after the twins.

"When I took up scything I was able to lose 40 pounds in six months, and I've managed to keep that weight off.

"Scything is quite meditative so it gets you in a lovely headspace. You're out in the open air, you're with nature, it's just a wonderful thing."

Since taking up the farming technique, Andi has also won several championships.

"I'm currently the ladies champion," she said. "I did win the overall championship in 2019 which I held for three years - I think I'm the first woman to have done that.

"We have a competition every year in Somerset - the national scything championships held near Langport that I first went to in 2010 and came home with a ladies trophy - which I've won almost every year since."

Andi now also regularly teaches the technique to others and says "she has the best job in the world".

"I get to meet all sorts of people from all walks of life in my beautiful field - it's the best job there is."