Pupils from two Waverley schools have been given a field to fork experience by a chain of garden centres.

Youngsters from Badshot Lea and Grayshott primary schools have been given a hands-on lesson in food production by Squire’s Garden Centre.

The firm taught children how to plant and care for ‘chitted’ potatoes way back in March through their popular Grow Your Own Chips initiative.

And there was a tasty conclusion when their homegrown spuds were turned into delicious chips by the Squire’s Café Bar team at the Badshot Lea and Milford branches.

“This is one of the most enjoyable projects we host each year,” said Brian Phillips, centre manager at Squire’s Badshot Lea.

“Seeing the children’s excitement as they dig up their potatoes — and then eat the results — is just brilliant!

“The pupils have really embraced the challenge. It’s an experience that brings food and gardening to life in such a fun, hands-on way.”

The children were recently visited by Squire’s Plant Experts to help them to harvest the potatoes they planted and nurtured at their respective schools.

Excitement grew among the green-fingered young gardeners with the team weighing each pupil’s crop with a prize for the grower of the heaviest haul.

Then it was over to the Café Bar, where each crop was freshly cooked into golden chips — with pupils tucking into their very own harvest in under 30 minutes from soil to plate.

Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, said: “Grow Your Own Chips is all about planting the seed of curiosity in children — about where food comes from and how satisfying it is to grow your own.

“We’re always delighted to support the schools in our local communities and help nurture a love of gardening that we hope stays with the children for life.”