A teenage farmer from Cumbria, who kept the family farm running after his father was injured, has been recognised as a ‘young hero’.

Archie Steel, from Little Musgrave near Kirkby Stephen, stepped up to manage the day-to-day running of the farm after a cow crushed his father’s leg, resulting in a knee injury.

With his father off work and a full-time worker off on long-term sick leave, Archie took on ‘huge responsibilities’ such as 5am milking and assisting with vet visits.

The 14-year-old boy scooped Young Farming Hero of the Year at the British Farming Awards.

Rising stars of the farming world were honoured at the event which was dedicated to celebrating the next generation of British farmers and the remarkable contributions they make to the industry.

At home, Archie has a flock of 50 sheep which he manages the tupping, lambing and daily care of.

He also helps out with the family dairy herd, which includes 240 Holstein Friesian cows and 140 heifers.

Archie looks after the herd’s calves from birth, taking responsibility for weaning, vaccinations, colostrum testing, and monitoring their growth rate.

Alongside milking, scraping, bedding, and feeding, he also takes an interest in working with Genus technicians to select the best bulls for the herd.

The British Farming awards described Archie with the words, ‘passion, dedication and determination’.

They said: “Archie works tirelessly on the farm before and after work, supporting his family and the farm, he does this hard work quietly, without seeking any praise, but with a passion, determination, and love for farming that is undeniable.”

The Young Farming Hero commented on his win: "I'm very proud and happy to have won. I would have been proud even if I hadn't have won, but I hope that I can inspire others and encourage more young people to get into farming."