Leicestershire yew clippings used in anti-cancer drugs

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The trimming carried out twice a year creates a large amount of clippings

Yew clippings from the garden of a Leicestershire museum have been sold to make anti-cancer drugs.

The clippings, from hedges at Donington le Heath Manor House, in Coalville, are sold to drug companies as an ingredient.

The green yew contains the chemical Baccatina III which is used in the production of a drug used to treat ovarian, lung and prostate cancers.

The manor sold 761kg (1167lbs) of clippings in 2009.

It raised £220 through the sale, which went to buy new plants and garden upkeep.

Rangers used to compost the clippings before they realised the garden waste could be turned into revenue for the manor house.

Lesley Pendleton from Leicestershire County Council said: "It is fantastic that the yew clippings from the manor house are put to such good use and hats off to the rangers for coming up with the idea and setting this up.

"The county council is committed to recycling, working with the health sector and to income generation, and this is an unusual twist on all three."

Donington le Heath Manor House Museum is a Medieval manor house with 17th Century style furnishings and a garden.