'Cheeky' fruit names revived

The agency is restoring 10 orchards

A scheme to revive traditional and endangered fruits could see some unusual names cropping up in the greengrocers.

The rare varieties of apple. plum and pear will be reintroduced as part of an Environment Agency drive to restore an old orchard at Longney, Gloucestershire.

Among those which will be grown in the orchard are the Arlingham Schoolboys and Gilliflower of Gloucester.

But the names of some fruits - the Hen's Turds apple, the Shit Smock plum and the now-extinct Bloody Bastard pear - could raise a few eyebrows.

Resource for birds

Orchards provide an important habitat for plants and animals, including the endangered Noble Chaffer beetle, mistletoe and wildflowers.

The fallen fruit is also an important food resource for birds during winter.

The Longney initiative is part of an agency scheme to restore 10 orchards.

Giles Matthews, biodiversity officer for the agency, said: "We look forward to seeing our work come to fruition and hopefully we will be restoring more orchards in the future."