Waitrose cherries

One of the UK's leading cherry growers has said that she'll be more harvesting the largest amount of cherries for 12 years.

Cherry orchards across the UK were in spectacular bloom this year because of the exceptionally-favourable growing conditions.

This has resulted in a bountiful harvest of cherries for Waitrose, with 20 per cent more fruit going on sale this year.

At the family-owned farm of Waitrose cherry grower, AR Neaves & Sons, in Doddington, Kent, the annual flowering of the cherry tree, which can last up to three weeks, has been helped this year by recent warm days and chilly nights which made the flowers thrive.

Farm manager Sarah Neaves, said: 'I’ve been growing cherries for 30 years, but you never get bored seeing the flowers – especially when they’ve been this beautiful.

'We are busy picking what I consider to be the best tasting cherries on Earth and by far the most we’ll have harvested in over 12 years.'