EIGHT months ago Rachel Waldron's life changed forever.

At just 31-years-old she was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer and faced months of therapy before life could return to normal.

Now, the farmer, of Winchester's Sarum Road, is determined to help others like her by injecting a splash of pink into the countryside to raise cash and awareness for charities Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough for Breast Cancer.

The 95 silage bales - bagged up pickled grass - at Beechcroft Farm are now fluorescent pink, and will stay in storage until October when it is fed to the cows.

It was the idea of contractor Steve Gregory, and Mrs Waldron said she is very grateful.

"Most of the cost of the bale wrap goes to the charity," she said.

"I was first diagnosed in October last year, went through surgery in November, chemotherapy in January and I had weekly treatments which finished about six weeks ago.

"Now I am on targeted therapy treatment until next year."

She added: "It was all a massive shock because I am a very active, fit person - as a farmer you have to be very fit.

"It was a complete and utter shock and totally out of the blue."

And she is warning others to be vigilant.

"Because of my age I didn't even contemplate that it could be something serious," she said.

Mrs Waldron is expected to make a full recovery.