A new carrot variety is being put on sale by Marks & Spencer (M&S) in the UK this week, with the launch of a cream-coloured variety grown in Scotland.

The organically produced creme de lite carrot looks similar to a parsnip, according to the group, and can be used in the same way as the traditional orange varieties.

The carrots have been grown by Steven Jack, a farmer in Moray Firth, Scotland.

'We are trying to be innovative and come up with new ideas as opposed to going for great volumes of standard produce,' Mr Jack told The Press and Journal. 'We are driven by identifying niche markets.'

Simon Coupe, agronomist at M&S, said that the new carrot variety is already highly prized in Europe and the US, and is ideal for use in salads.