A farming family have appeared in a BBC series which chronicles rural life in East Ayrshire, taking viewers behind the scenes of their smallholding situated on the banks of Loch Doon.

The Farmers’ Country Showdown follows the lives of Billy Welsh and nephew Jock as they go about their business on Beoch Farm – the long hours, arduous days and many tasks they must carry out to ensure the place is kept ticking over.

As the programme progresses, it seems that the full-time farmers are somewhat upstaged by another team of hard-workers though - their adorable sheepdogs who prove just how much of a man’s best friend they really are.

Cumnock Chronicle: Photo credit: Dave HancoxPhoto credit: Dave Hancox

Billy told the Chronicle: “I’d not been involved in anything like that before so it was quite a different experience but they made a very good job of it. I thought it was fantastic.

“They were here filming from 8am to 6pm so they really captured the whole day. I was delighted with the editing and it got a great response from locals about how well the place looked. I don’t think many people knew Beoch was up here so it’s been great for everyone.

“The crew also did a fantastic job of filming everything under COVID restrictions. It was all socially distanced with a skeleton team.

“When you’re living and working here, you don’t realise just how beautiful it is. The dogs did a great job, too.”

Cumnock Chronicle: Photo credit: Dave HancoxPhoto credit: Dave Hancox

The show also showcases the real beauty of the area thanks to the drone footage used in the programme, taken by amateur photographer, Dave Hancox.

The 56-year-old says he was keen to share the picturesque pastures and luminous landscapes of Loch Doon with audiences up and down the country as a way of attracting people to the area in future.

Dave, who lives in Dalmellington, said: “The BBC found the footage while trawling through YouTube and contacted me to ask if they could use it. The community groups here have identified that the way forward for the village is to attract tourism and so that’s my way of promoting the local area, by sharing the place online.

Cumnock Chronicle: Photo credit: Dave HancoxPhoto credit: Dave Hancox

“The film crew couldn’t get up to film because of COVID regulations but I got a nice email from the Senior Production Manager who said the footage was fantastic.

“It was a really interesting show. They featured the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory as well as some great scenes over Loch Doon. Basically all the aerial footage was my own. I’ve had three or four second clips used on television in the past such as on weather reports but nothing as long as this.

“I moved to Dalmellington from Brechin in Angus 22 years ago. I stayed in a few places around Ayrshire but here is the most friendly. We’ve brought our kids up here. It’s a really nice community.”

Cumnock Chronicle: Photo credit: Dave HancoxPhoto credit: Dave Hancox

The Farmers’ Country Showdown is available on BBC iPlayer now.