A young farmer from Devon has been chosen as a role model for her engineering work on a dairy farm near Kingsbridge.

Twenty-year old Charlotte Budgen was handpicked to showcase her story of being a Net Zero Hero to celebrate Tomorrow's Engineers Week.

Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, which runs from November 8-12, features a series of films about young engineers that are at the heart of solutions to achieve net zero by 2050.

Three engineers from across the UK were handpicked to showcase their stories of being Net Zero Heroes to celebrate Tomorrow’s Engineers Week. The Week aims to inspire a new generation into the profession.

Charlotte was chosen for her work on making Challon's Combe Farm more sustainable.

She is currently studying land-based engineering at Bicton College but works on the farm, too.

The farm has an organic dairy herd that is 100 per cent pasture-fed along with pigs, sheep and beef.

She said: "I want to be a voice, I'd like to help other farmers to think about being more sustainable.

"On the farm we try and keep things basic, it may seem old-fashioned, like it was 50-60 years ago, but I don't believe that I've changed much of what was being done on the farm."

Using her ongoing engineering training, Charlotte repairs and maintains the farm's machinery, from tractors to balers and quad bikes.

She said: "Farm machinery is vital, but we can keep using the old machinery rather than buy new because I can maintain it.

"It's far simpler, and more sustainable, as mechanics don't have to travel miles to us and we don't have to transport tractors anywhere.

"Sure, the easiest way may be expensive technology, but for many farmers it just isn't necessary.

"It may be less efficient to use our older machinery but it is more sustainable."

The farm continues to use its original small four aside swing-over herringbone parlour for the 60 cows and it uses very little electricity.

They have begun to sell organic milk, yoghurt and cream locally, making regular doorstep deliveries.

In fact, half of the milk is pasteurised and sold this way, meaning that only 50 per cent of it is transported on a tanker, which, again, is reducing the farm's carbon footprint.

They are now looking at buying an electric van for these deliveries, and are hoping to work together with other small suppliers such as a local baker and newsagent to combine deliveries.

Charlotte and Andrew Fish, whose family own the farm, butcher and package the meat themselves which reduces food miles.

Charlotte summed up: “I want to be the first person to have a net zero farm.

"I've always liked more practical-based subjects, making things, designing things and fixing things.

"Bringing together my love of farming and tractors has been a dream come true.”

Dr Hilary Leevers, chief executive at EngineeringUK, the organisers of Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, said: “The engineering community is already working to pay back the planet with solutions to address a host of problems, such as how to generate affordable and sustainable energy, to shaping the farms and cities of the future.

“But we also need to focus on the next and future generations - allowing them the space to be creative and equipping them with the technical skills to bring innovative solutions to life. And they are up for the challenge, they are optimistic about what can be achieved in the future, and passionate about improving the world they live in.”

Charlotte features in a film that will be promoted to young people across social media and used by schools through teaching resources available at teweek.org.uk.