Alastair Hendy, Sunday Times food writer and a former BBC Master Chef winner beat off stiff competition to win the Bramley and Spoon Race ahead of fellow food writer Roz Denny, Olympic swimmer Sharon Davis, Hugh Robertson MP of the Parliamentary British Fruit Industry Group and Adrian Barlow of English Apples & Pears.

The race was organised to raise money for Crisis the charity for the homeless.

Other activities during the week included radio interviews for the Bramley Campaign's home economist Gina Steer and a local television appearance for Steer and campaign chairman Ian Mitchell on Meridian TV. Retailers Sainsbury's, Budgens, Co-op and Waitrose have all got behind the campaign this week with in-store promotions and a link up with Jus-Rol pastry in six cities featured sampling opportunities as well as give-aways so people could make their own apple pies at home.

'The UK is the only country that grows apples specially for cooking and 95 per cent of those sold here are Bramley,' said Mitchell. 'The fact that apple pie and apple crumble are the two top puddings in the this country is a reassuring fact for our growers. And these events remind consumers that we are not only a healthy industry but also produce one of the healthiest home-grown fruits you can buy.'