A Kent cherry grower struggling to sell its produce is urging people to shop local for fruit, instead of at supermarkets.

Brogdale Collections, in Faversham, has acres of orchards bursting with ripe, red cherries but is having difficulty shifting them in the wake of the pandemic.

Like many attractions, the charity has been hit hard by lockdown and forced to cancel several events, affecting both its income and opportunities to sell cherries to the public.

Brogdale is now selling its fruit at the Tiddly Pomme shop in Brogdale Marketplace and is appealing for residents, shoppers and businesses to support it.

Operations manager Sara Smile said: “People absolutely love cherries and this season is usually hugely popular at Brogdale. Unfortunately, we’ve had to cancel our Cherry Fair in July which is when we would have sold much of our fruit.

"Please don’t buy cherries shipped to a supermarket from miles away when there are delicious, beautifully fresh cherries on your doorstep.

"Also, by supporting us people enjoy fabulous cherries and help ensure the survival of this precious local charity.”

As custodian of the nation’s fruit collections, Brogdale is home to more than 300 types of cherry trees and Tiddly Pomme is selling different varieties as they ripen through the season.

The cherry orchards at Brogdale are particularly beautiful this time of year - laden with cherries and bursting with wildlife.

Visitors can currently book themselves onto a self-guided walk at Brogdale which takes them on a trail through the orchards.

Details on how to book can be found on Brogdale’s website.

Read more: All the latest news from Faversham