Excuse the farming puns, but coming from farming stock, Liberal Democrat candidate in the forthcoming Frome by-election, is unfazed by the quips about it being just a two horse race.

And the 51 year old is taking nothing for granted, as energised and active as ever, and today (July 17) visiting Frome Medical Practice, but keen to stress that for over a year and a half she has been working the doorsteps as if she was already the MP.

Nub News caught up with the councillor to ask her about her three main pledges for Frome.

" I will be giving people a voice, because we simply haven't had one, " she explained. " With Frome being the largest town people are frustrated and they are angry, so it is vital they are heard. For me it is really getting out there and getting under the skin of the problems. For the last fourteen or fifteen months people have been coming to me anyway with case work, because there wasn't anyone else to get help from. I have been the most active politician getting out and really helping people and signposting them to help. But if I am elected I will have the actual toolbox to make things happen."

And what is the key concern that brought her to Frome Medical Practice?

" It is around GP services, NHS service and dental services. We know that people are really struggling to access health care, right across the constituency, " she explained. " I have had a family get in touch who were forced to travel from Milborne Port to Woking - a mother and two children by train, to get dental care. An hour and a half journey each way that is how bad it is. This is just NOT acceptable, we must do better. "

Pollution - it stinks

The third key stone of Cllr Dyke's work is on the environment, and crucially she will also be working with farmers, who, and this is often overlooked, need to be engaged as well as water companies. " As a farmer's daughter with a heritage in farming going back many many generations, I am really knowledgeable about this issue. I really want to clean up our rivers. As well as our wider environment. "

The accusation has been put that you have somehow stolen the Greens' clothes ?

" I don't accept that. I have been the lead for climate change and the environment at Somerset Council since last year and before that at South Somerset. A lot of the green initiatives that you see across Somerset have been driven by me. Putting the blue bag on your doorstep so you can recycle more, that was led by me, I declared a climate emergency, I adopted a tree strategy, loads of community initiatives around re-wilding and tree plant and wild flower redistributions so that people can develop their own green marginal areas. That is the real difference between me and the Greens. I can actually deliver and I have already delivered."

The pain of mortgages

The other issue on the doorstep has been the cost of living crisis and Cllr Dyke has heard some horror stories. " People are really struggling with their mortgages, I have been knocking on doors for the last 14 or 15 months and I hear over and over again how hard it is,

"Over the winter it was about energy bills and heating costs, for the past few months it has been the threat or in some cases now that reality of increases in mortgage rates. I was speaking to someone at the beginning of the campaign who told me he has just had to renegotiate his mortgage and he has to pay £700 MORE a month. That is unsustainable, unviable and for so many when they are forced to turn on their heating again in October, it will be impossible. People are going to be hurt."

Whoever gets elected they will have a maximum of a year and a half in post what can you actually do?

Without any hesitation Sarah Dyke states simply and clearly : " I can be a strong voice for Somerton and Frome, something we have simply not had for far too long. That's the most important thing of all. I am the right person to give the constituency that voice, people deserve it and they need it. "

Voters at the by-election on July 20 have eight candidates to chose from all listed HERE