IF you're talking brains four Beaminster Young Farmers have proved they've got an abundance between them.

Sam Norman, Lucy Wallbridge, Megan Edwards and Penny Cross have debated their way to the national finals in the young farmers' Brainstrust competition.

To get there they have out argued the other nine clubs in Dorset, beaten all the top south west teams, then taken on teams in the south and finally they'll be taking on other finalists from Shropshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire in Stafford on July 1.

To get as far as they have Megan, Sam and Penny have had to talk about subjects ranging from gastric bands, driverless cars, TB, migrant workers and Brexit, under the direction of team chairman Lucy.

Proud mum and young farmers' adult helper Helen Wallbridge said: "Brainstrust is a public speaking competition for members 21 years old and under.

"After they won the Dorset round they had to represent Dorset in Newquay where they beat four other teams to win the south west area.

"Then they went on represent the south west area at Hartbury College for the south heat. They won there beating three other teams Hampshire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire.

"The two top south teams go on to the national final which will be against teams from Shropshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire

"They know they have already beaten Shropshire so they only have to two others to beat."

They teams don't practice topics - 20 minutes before the contests start the chairman has to chose three topics out of six he or she thinks the panel will be able to debate.

Mrs Wallbridge said there is usually a farming topic and something topical and controversial.

She said: "The skill of it is for the chairman to pick topics that he or she thinks the panel can debate and also they have to prepare questions in case the panel dry up

"Then they have about five minutes on each topic. They are judged on the way the chairman controls the debate, the way they discuss the topic and the broadness of how they expand it and they even like a bit of humour in it too.

"It's a really great skill for them to learn at young farmers. It is good for interview techniques for getting a job, standing up and doing a speech say at a wedding and just general confidence and it is so confidence building that they have got this far."

Part of the reason they've done so well, she said, lies in the club's history.

"Ten years ago Beaminster young farmers were going through a bad patch and the club folded.

"It re-opened as a junior club and the adult helpers put these 11 or 12 year olds into the competitions because there was no getting away from it - there was no one else.

"It is just a real success story that from these tiny members they have grown and gone on to do so well."