The oldest tennis tournament in the world returns today meaning it's time to get the Pimm's and strawberries stocked up.

Wimbledon 2018 is underway at the All England Tennis Club with defending champion Roger Federer returning to centre court at 1pm.

As he competes in a bid to win a seventh title, spectators will be invited to tuck into Kentish strawberries.

Some 34,000kgs of strawberries from the county are expected be served over the course of the two-week tournament.

That amounts to 166,000 servings.

Hugh Lowe Farms, which has its pack house in Seven Mile Lane in Mereworth, Maidstone, is among the farms contributing.

Their berries are harvested continuously from April until November by groups of pickers under the supervision of skilled harvesting staff.

Early morning starts ensure the fruit is picked when it is not too hot.

The pickers are shown how to handle the plants and fruit so as not to damage the berries.

The fruits are hand harvested directly into the punnet before being transported directly to the rapid coolers at the packhouse, where its temperature is reduced to 2-5 C to preserve shelf life.

NFU South East spokeswoman Isobel Bretherton says: “It’s a real coup that Kentish strawberries are being eaten at Wimbledon.

“Serving the best of British produce at high profile events puts home-grown food on the map and helps to encourage others in the hospitality and catering sectors to follow suit.

"Kentish strawberries have an unrivalled taste owing to our climate and this summer’s unprecedented warm weather must be boosting sales of soft fruit which can only be good for our Kent growers.”