ST Mark’s Church in Upper Hale hosted its second Apple Day last month. The community arrived with bags of apples to be juiced and enjoyed the food, drink and music on offer.

Reverend Hannah Moore, the new curate in the parish, said: “It was my first Apple Day and it was such a lovely community event, with people there aged 0 to 94, including three in wheelchairs; and over 50 people stayed for the Harvest service that followed on in the church.”

Lesley Shatwell, the licenced lay minister continued: “The apples and pears were harvested from the community orchard and they were delicious, as were the tasty apple pancakes, accompanied by the sound of cheery musicians playing apple-related songs.”

John Ely, local resident and apple presser, said: “It was a pleasure to be invited to press apples into juice with so many young helpers and even better to see them enjoy drinking it.”